empathicfault | IC Inbox

[ Will's only answer to that question is a snarl before Dimitri scowls, moves his fist back, and immediately tries to punch Will in the face.

If Will is doing a little better, Dimitri would like to make it otherwise. ]

[ Will doesn't put his hands up- hell, he doesn't even close his eyes. He just stands there as it happens, the punch connecting just under his left eye and nose.

He stumbles back and coughs, spitting a little blood on the floor. He supports himself from collapsing with his hands on his knees. Ow. ]

Uch...guess that's fair.

You killed me! [ Dimitri yells. Yes, it wasn't Will. But Dimitri's not really thinking much at the moment. All he knows is that he died, Will killed him, the memory of that man's knife in his back. ]

You monster, [ he snarls. ]

[ Okay, he's not getting hit or stabbed or whatever, so Will slowly stands back up. He continues to face Dimitri with a stoic, blank expression. He's reminded of Frederick Chilton, burned beyond recognition, trying to form words that were very similar.

But this is different. This wasn't righteous. It wasn't interesting. It was just his mind getting twisted up by a disease. He clears his throat and carefully speaks. ]

I don't know you. Not here.

Don't say that, [ he hisses. ] We served together, we—

[ That was a different Will. Dimitri pauses, anger still radiating from his expression, obviously still tense and on edge as he swears, shaking his head. That wasn't Will. He needs to keep reminding himself of this. ]

Damn the Admiral and damn that...whatever it was, [ he grumbles, trying to force his thoughts back in order. And then, saying it like he's trying to convince himself, ] You don't know me. And yet here I am, still suffering for it.

[ Will takes deep, even breaths as Dimitri works through the situation, something that gets a little more difficult as he feels his nose start to swell. It's not like Will doesn't have some of the same feelings. He gets confused often as to what he should be remembering, and probably will for awhile.

But this murderer? It's not a part of himself he wants to hang onto. ]

Yeah. For...what it's worth, I'm sorry for whatever part of me might've influenced that Will. I don't know how this breach stuff works. Or is supposed to work.

I don't know either, [ he admits, ] but what I do know is that it's cheap. The Admiral gives people an entire life's worth of memories and then somehow expect us to go on like nothing has happened?

[ he's still trying to calm himself down, still worked up due to the breach, still very much a powder keg about to go off if tapped at the worst moment. ]

Well, the one thing I have heard is that the memories are supposed to fade over the next couple of weeks. Ideally, it should feel more like a dream soon.

I have my doubts, but I'm guessing our only option is waiting it out.

[ He gets it, even if he's rigged less like a powder keg and more like a supernova about to implode. ]

If that's the case, then that makes breaches even more nonsensical. Why make someone suffer through something if they're just going to forget it in the next few weeks?

I don't know. [ He shakes his head, eyes looking distantly down the hall. ] Wish I did.

I'm going to hope that this one was unusually bad. And that we got particularly unlucky.

Did you- [ He finally looks Dimitri in the eye again. ] Had you heard anything about breaches before this hit? I did, but I had to ask.

[ Dimitri shakes his head. This is why you post to the network, you dingus, and don't just skulk around like a creepy little recluse. ]

I had no idea what was happening until after it happened.

Hmm.

[ He frowns. He's not exactly the most gregarious person, himself, and doesn't think they should be punished for that. ]

There should be an announcement sometime beforehand, for new arrivals. Or something. I can't imagine going into that blind.

[ He'd be far less functional than he currently is, that's for sure. ]

Going into it was easy. Coming out of it was the troublesome part.

True.

[ Maybe an announcement after the fact would be better. For now, they just had to deal with the fallout. ]

Listen...I know this question is- [ He shakes his head. ] But is your name still Dimitri here? I'm still Will Graham, but there are several people who ended up with completely different identities. I've been trying to...sort them out.

[ He nods. ]

Dimitri Blaiddyd. [ And because it's a useful question... ] Do you know who ended up with a different identity? There were a few people who I met in the breach for the first time.

I know a few. My brother, Harkin? He usually goes by Sweeney around here. But he'll answer to Harkin just fine. His old spotter, Addy- Adeline. Her name's Laura.

[ He rubs his chin. Who else? ]

Uh. Sebastian Sims is Sebastian Michaelis, so that's close. Mason Walker is named Raylan, I think? And his brother, Noah Walker is Malcolm Bright. He's a therapist here.

As for the other Guardians, I mostly don't know. Ah- Zhao Yunlan is still the same, though. Pretty sure Trixie's name didn't change, either.

[ Dimitri nods. There's a moment before he lets out an annoyed little sigh. ]

I suppose I should probably make a network post explaining that my name is still the same.

Couldn't hurt anything. Most people probably met you for the first time in the Breach.

[ He shakes his head. ]

And here I thought-- Have you heard of floods? That's another thing that can happen here. Something smaller changes on the Barge. When I arrived, the inmates were classified as wardens and vice versa.

[ Dimitri frowns, obviously listening to Will. There's a confused little expression on his face before, ]

Do those things happen often?

Floods happen about every other month, from what I've heard. Breaches a few times a year. Basically, you can't count on it, but that's usually how it goes. Before the breach, I had a couple of people tell me we were 'due' for one.

[ He rubs his chin, thoughtful. ]

Maybe we should ask, in general, what the floods have been like. I've only been through the one.

A sensible and smart idea. I can ask when I'm inevitably forced into conversation with various other people on this ship.

Yeah, that is unfortunately going to happen. They're big on talking things out around here. Although there is a counselor that likes to fight. Kiryu, I think his name is.

[ They aren't the same people, but he suspects Dimitri is still used to physical confrontations. Will's face hurts. ]

[ Dimitri is used to physical confrontations. At the mention of Kiryu, something close to a smile passes his face. It lasts for a moment before, ]

I've met Kiryu already. I'm certainly going to want to continue my training here—I'll make sure to seek him out again.

[ Will nods, looking at least a little pleased. ]

Figured you might work well together, if you're anything at all like you were back in the breach.

[ And yeah, he should address that: ]

Driven, I mean. I am- hopefully- at least a bit less whiny, myself. Can I ask what you're training for?

Just to train, [ he shrugs. ] I like working out and keeping my body in top form.

Besides, just because I'm dead that doesn't mean I should stop improving myself.

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