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[empathicfault]

"Will Graham here. Leave a message."

[Open for text/audio/action/whatever.]

Comments

[cactusy]

You broke the mind control? Look at you, mister mental strength. That's impressive.

[empathicfault]

Thank you, but it might not have been entirely due to effort on my part. I found out later that I can do magic- could do magic. I'm sure that helped.

[cactusy]

Is that gonna make things weird when you start doing magic here?

[empathicfault]

[ He takes a moment to think about it. ]

No, it was a very different type than the glyphs. Chaos magic- based on the strength of will.

[ It was honestly just his kind of power. A faint smile crosses his face. ]

Learning about the glyphs was more...I want to encourage Harkin on getting what magic he can back. That being said...do you think I could have use of the glyphs when I'm around him, too? Or is that a step too far? I wanted to work on it with him.

[cactusy]

I get that he doesn't like me and might not want me hanging around watching, but does he have a problem with Hunter, too?

[empathicfault]

He might not. But it's not going to be seen as something of worth to him unless he's using it for something practical- like growing things in the greenhouse. Although maybe Hunter would join us for that, too. Practical exercises?

[ He does sigh a bit. ]

[cactusy]

If Sweeney can put up with me being there, I can... help plant nonmagically, or whatever. I don't have to stand in the corner looming.

[empathicfault]

Sure. The lack of looming would probably help. I'll let him know.

[ It's not the outcome he wanted, but he'll accept it. He knew it was a long shot. ]

And...uh, it's after the breach, so....

[cactusy]

So he's not going to be doing so hot?

[empathicfault]

He's not. I've been talking to him. I'm sort of hoping I can help him get his own magic back, eventually. I think it'd help.

But...that's not what I wanted to talk about. I was hoping you could ask for another dog for me.

[cactusy]

Oh. Yeah, sure; which one?

[empathicfault]

Thanks. Let's go for Buster, my Jack Russell terrier.

[cactusy]

On it. Tell me when you have him, bring him over to say hi?

[empathicfault]

Will do. Looking forward to it.


[ The next time Will calls, it's amid a series of barks and yaps, clearly between Winston and another dog. He's been laughing, going by the tone of his voice. ]

Hey, Buster's made it. You available for me to come over? Think we're all...relatively settled here.

[cactusy]

Yeah, give me twenty? I just got back from a run with Jet.

[The whole Barge is their obstacle course, and people will likely start to hate them for it eventually.]

[empathicfault]

And I'm sure he loved that. No problem. I'll be bringing Winston, too.

--------------

[ He arrives more like thirty minutes later. But he has two dogs in tow, regardless. They're both on leashes, thank goodness. He gets them both to sit while he knocks on her door. ]

[cactusy]

[And Shaw pops it open shortly, her hair still damp and loose from a quick shower.]

Hey.

[She says, stepping back to let him into the cabin: the new and improved cabin. The cement walls and floors are the same, but the beat-up dresser, little dining table, and plastic picnic chairs have all been swapped out for nicer versions, the floorbed is no more, and there's a couch and a TV over by the windows. Also over by the windows is what looks to be an elevated sleeping loft accessible by ladder. Homey little knick-knacks can be found here and there, and there's a big rug on the floor.

When he spots his new compatriot, Jet lets out a happy bark and bounds over to say hi. Shaw lets him, a tiny little smile playing across her face.]

[empathicfault]

[ Will's watching them with a smile, too- Buster had tugged himself free of Will's grip to rush over to Jet, and now they're circling each other, sniffing, and wagging their tails. Winston waits for Will to unhook him, and then trots over to join the rest.

It's only after setting Buster free from the leash- and yes, letting him jump up and lick Will's face for a minute, followed by Jet- that Will lets himself look around the room. ]

Wow, nice place. I see Root's made her mark here.

[cactusy]

She had a problem with the old set-up, and I didn't mind a change...

[Shaw says, giving a little shrug. She's perfectly happy with the remodel, it's just nothing she would have thought to do for herself. As long as everything is clean and the small number of possessions that she either needs or wants are close at hand, spartan conditions have never been an issue for Shaw.]

[empathicfault]

Well, you can tell her that I think it looks nice. Not that my interior decorating skills are all that finely honed.

[ After all, his technique was 'I hung a bunch of fishing poles on the wall and called it a day'. ]

How's it been, having her here? She seems to be leaning pretty hard into the domestic so far.

[cactusy]

[Shaw snorts in a way that somehow manages to be both derisive and fond, shaking her head.]

She's so full of shit.

[But then she pauses, and adds--]

Actually, I think she really does like cooking. Parading it on the network is for show, though. But, uh, it's--

[It's a lot of things at once; it's hard to put into words. It makes her face falter, a little.]

It's good. And it's nerve-wracking. It being nerve-wracking doesn't make it any less good, but it does make it more complicated.

[empathicfault]

[ Will smirks at first, because- yeah. Root is definitely trying to play at the sweet and innocent...ish persona right now. He smiles slightly as Shaw continues, even as she falters. ]

Yeah, I'm sure. Suddenly there are a lot more possibilities, and not all of them are positive outcomes. But I'm really glad you've gotten more time with her.

[cactusy]

If this is a simulation, tossing her into the mix would be a really good tactic.

[She flicks her gaze away from his, looking off into the middle distance.]

It was easier to just try to think about her as little as possible while I'm here.

[Not better. Not preferable. But easier.]

[empathicfault]

[ Will nods, because that's a whole set of outcomes he figured she was thinking on. ]

Easier, but not good for you. In my opinion. Even considering your unusual mental/emotional landscape, trauma and grief will pop up in the worst times and places. -especially here, where the ship will just shove it in someone else's face every so often.

But yeah. I can see how introducing her would be helpful to a simulation.

[cactusy]

It's not something I should be putting on you.

[But she suspects that he might be able to pick up on the thread of fear that laces through her when she thinks about Root being here, and she doesn't want him to sense that without context.]