There's Always a Chance, Doctor

When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.

As Basil began to talk, David fell into step with his long stride and listened attentively. It was only years of practice that allowed him to keep up in the slightest but he hardly noticed now. Nodding once, he immediately started to evaluate what he was being told - and most likely what he wasn’t. Of course Basil would speak to the subjects; he would spend the entire time correcting David if David tried to do otherwise. It would save them both time if David pretended to agree now. At the patronizing comment he had to say something. “Is this really necessary? You tend to get rather…brusque with people even when you don’t intend to be rude and patronizing, the fact that you’re even bothering to warn me at the moment means that this could be reaching nearly unprecedented levels. How are you planning to get the other creatures to agree to…whatever this procedure is if you insult them from the start? I thought you said this had to do with a creature’s ability to heal.”

At his friends inquiries, a small smile tugs at the corner of his mouth, a mischievous glint in his eye. He didn't intend to answer any of the questions being directed at him, and he expected David knew as much. It never suited him to lay out all of his cards on the table. Keeping the majority of it to himself provided an element of mystery that he quite enjoyed watching people attempt to figure out. He told his friend more than most, but it was certainly more fun to keep a few things secret for a bit longer. "Well, you'll just have to trust me and my methods," he told him with a note of amusement in his voice, avoiding having to actually answer any questions. "Your only job," he continued, lowering his voice as they walked up to the edge of the lake. "Is to be you, doctor Dawson." With a wink, he turned away and scanned the water, immediately spotting what he was searching for. Mermaids, splashing about like the dull and self obsessed creatures they were.

Mini Disney Movie Challenge:

Flaversham. Olivia Flaversham. Spoke the surname first, since a name like that is most often remembered. [raises a brow skeptically] Sure you do, that’s why you haven’t figured out why a school such as ours would want to put all of us in a place such as this. I did not say you should study, I gave ideas of what you could study and pretty darn good ones at that. If stunning is now your synonym for twenty-twenty, I suppose. But honestly, having eyes has nothing to do with thinking up those ideas. That took a mind. A creative and inquisitive one at that. [shakes her head] How macabre of you. Oh no. Yours were assumptions. Mine were deductions based on every word you said and the little furrow of your brow, the crinkle right between your eyes. And your gruffness now says that you are put off by me, which only makes me want to challenge you more, you see. No, you didn’t even see me until I brought myself forward, and the way I dress isn’t very common, so I would never say it was mundane, and I carry myself quite well, if I do say so myself. So no, no assumptions on my part. Now would you like to switch from assumptions to deduce whatever you will about me?

My...and people say i'm arrogant. Tell me, Miss Flamchester, what is it like in your boring little mind? [shakes his head] Your so called deductions could be made by an infant, my dear. If you were trying to impress me, i'm afraid you've only embarrassed yourself. You aren't a "challenge" for me, and I can't fathom why you might think that to be the case. I can think of a long list of things I would rather be doing right now, but if it might somehow shut you up, i'll play your ridiculous game. [already having observed her the moment they met, he sighs and examines the sleeves of his coat as he speaks] High level courses, robotics club, close with your father. He raised you on his own— a modest occupation, something having to do with children. Primary school teacher or toy maker. Growing up without a mother is something that still hurts you, and no doubt the reason you go to absurd lengths to prove yourself to others. And, [pauses to look at her, his expression perfectly unreadable] as you have kindly demonstrated during this conversation, you don't. know. when. to. stop. talking. Its hardly a surprise that you lack any close friends. Or any friends, for that matter.

"I’ve always loathed the necessity of sleep. Like death, it puts even the most powerful men on their backs."

"I know you don’t consider it, that’s why I remind you. One of us has to be aware of it." He’d never exactly understood how Basil could ignore the issue so completely, but trying to get an explanation out of the other man was close to impossible on this sort of subject. At least he could keep an eye on the bigger transgressions to try and keep Basil out of trouble. David supposed that he should be grateful Basil had capitulated so easily on this issue, although it was starting to raise his suspicious for what exactly this experiment would entail. Still, before he could respond, David was staring at the back of the familiar coat and the quickly closing door. Rolling his eyes and suppressing a grin, he rushed to catch up before he lost sight of Basil completely. 

Basil was already piecing together various attempts at gaining various creatures consent when he heard his friends familiar footsteps behind him once more. "Now," he began without looking at him, his attention focused on their surroundings. "The lake happens to be rather close, so we'll track down a few subjects in that general area," he explained, making his way down one of the forest trails in the direction of the lake. Gaining permission to run tests on certain subjects always proved to be a tedious task, but for Dawson's sake, he would do it. Basil rarely gave a thought to nuances that normal people bothered themselves with, but his friend seemed to be the only person that made him consider otherwise. It was a bit odd, not to mention slightly off putting, but he had more or less learned to accept it by now. "I do suppose I should explain the parameters for this experiment," he mused with a slight frown, before glancing over at his friend. "You are not to mention the purpose of this to any of the subjects— i'll be the one to discuss that. In addition, refrain from stopping me when I begin patronizing them. I have good reason for doing so this time around, I assure you."