004; video

[reek]

Who: Theon Greyjoy
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: SS Paisley
When: January 1. Happy New Year?

[ The man who appears on the screen is a pitiful sight indeed. He’s has a gaunt, tired face, framed by brittle white hair, and looks as if he hasn’t eaten a good meal in months.

This is clearly a man with one foot in the grave, and is altogether unfamiliar—until he speaks. ]

My name is Theon. Theon Greyjoy.

[ You have to remember your name, he thinks as he chuckles dryly, a ghastly smile breaking across his face. His teeth are showing his teeth to be a painful, splintered mess; a far cry from the charming grin that’s become Theon Greyjoy’s trademark. He’s skin and bones and appears as if he’s aged ten years, though no more than a single year has passed for him. ]

You won’t recognize me, but I’ll recognize all of you. I will.

[ He still sees their faces clearly; those from his own world, his crewmates, and those he’s met from other ships. He remembers how this works. He may be addled, driven half mad by the horrific things he’s gone through, but his mind and memory both still work. His voice is hoarse, less commanding than it once was, and he seems to be teetering somewhere between laughter and tears with each word, but he’s holding it together none the less. It could be worse; it could always be worse. ]

Perhaps Atroma should have reconsidered bringing me back.

[ He chortles, gesturing to his skeletal appearance. He looks awful, nothing like the handsome young man he once was, but at least he can joke about it, right? What can he do to change it now? ]

They’ll only lose their audience when they see me. Do you regret it now, Atroma? I was of use to you before. [ Another laugh, something closer to a giggle. ] You’ve only harmed yourself, but not me. There’s little left that you can do to harm me.

[Paisley]

[ And for all crew and visitors on the Paisley, this new Theon can be found in the armory. It’s silent, free from the sounds of what used to be his near-daily target practice. He isn’t even looking at the weaponry. Instead, he’s seated himself at the desk, staring at his hands. A quick glance will show that they’ve been mangled just as badly as his teeth. Three fingers have been removed, one from the left and two from the right, leaving nothing but nubs.

He knows he’ll never be able to pull a bowstring again. ]

Comments

[passingthrough]

Theon... [Her voice is softer than usual, but she fights to keep at least some of the shock and concern out of her voice and expression. It's still there, but tempered. She sees the remnants of the man she remembers in this abused creature. It's not an all together unexpected thing for her to see. She witnessed horrors regularly back home, but she's been sparred that for almost two years of multi-dimensional captivity now. She doesn't have the same wall up to guard her from it. But she isn't really the one who might need help here, is she?

Even without an explanation of what happened here she can't help but think—strongly—that she never wants to see any of them return there. Not Tyrion or Robb or Magaery and certainly not Theon. If they can create something that will choose new worlds then they can't choose that world.]

How long has it been for you?

[reek]

Not quite so long as you might think. Perhaps a year, perhaps one hundred.

[ He grins once more, but this time he covers his ruined teeth with his hand. They pain him, but just like his fingers, they remind him of how much worse it all could have been. If the washerwomen's plan had failed, nothing would have stopped Lord Ramsay from flaying away the rest of him. ]

You remember my name.

[passingthrough]

[She's not sure if one year is more difficult to believe or one hundred.] You're hard to forget.

[And if he didn't look like he'd been through at least a fleet of wringers she might teasingly point out that he started by identifying himself, but not today.] And it hasn't been that long for me. I didn't know you were gone. [If he even was gone. He may have just woken up after a night's rest like this for all she knows. They didn't talk with enough frequency or enough friends in common—if he has friends—for her to be sure.]

[Video]

[pain_train]

[Well, that's not good. And Theon is still her scrub.]

I'll be there in ten minutes.

[Not asking. Informing. He looks like shit.]

Re: [Video]

[reek]

You say that as if you think I can get away any quicker than that.

[ He sniggers, thin shoulders shaking. He's lucky he managed to get away from his captor at all, being as physically broken as he is. ]

Take an hour if you need. I'm not moving.

[action]

[pain_train]

[Wrath just ends the transmission, because something about this is very wrong and she doesn't like it. She brings a shuttle over to the Paisley and heads to where Theon's room is.

And she's carrying a familiar potted plant. She stops in the doorway and looks him over; in person he manages to look even worse. Only then does she answer his last comment:]

I don't keep my people waiting. I'm better than that, and so are you.

private video »

[steeledskin]

[ theon!

once, she tried to tell herself she didn't care for the turncloak. that he was worthy of little more than her contempt -- and that she could repay him for a lifetime of frigid smirks by exorcising him from any affection. such indifference is impossible, now. not due to his pitiful state but because she has, over months, come to care more deeply and more tenderly for theon greyjoy's burdens.

it nags sorely at her that she should be so pained by his appearance. as she usually does, she arranges it so that her conversation with him is private. for themselves, alone. ]

Do not goad them. [ the atroma. he teases and he brays and he suggests they have no use for him? well, she fears they will. ] Please, Theon. Do not goad them.

[ a little desperate. oddly strangled. she can't make peace with his appearance. ]

private video »

[reek]

[ Sansa Stark, he tells himself. Lord Eddard’s eldest daughter. A sweet girl. She understands. She was a prisoner as well.

Of course he knows her. He’d know any of the Stark children at a glance, but he needs to assure himself that he still remembers. Ramsay twisted his thoughts and his memories until he believed they belonged to somebody else. Winterfell gave him back his identity, but he needs to remind himself who he is, lest he slip into the identity Ramsay created for him once more.

Theon. You are Theon. You have to remember your name. ]

You know me still.

[ He grins, but this time he covers his teeth with a hand. He doesn't want to frighten her, but there’s little he can do about the rest of his appearance. ]

What more do you think they can do to me that he hasn’t already done? They're harmless children in comparison.

Video; Private

[widow_of_the_crag]

[Gods! The sight of him is horrific and unmatched by any story or sight she had seen or heard until this moment. She never knew a man could survive being so thin or that a smile could be so monstrous. He had been handsome and arrogant when they first met, but this creature that called himself Theon...there were no words to describe how broken and battered he appeared.

Her heart crumbled at the sight of him, clearly abused and injured, tortured beyond imagining. Tears appeared in her eyes as she stared back at him. Her thoughts stalled as she absorbed the untold story that his face spoke to them.]

Theon...

Re: Video; Private

[reek]

[ Jeyne Westerling, Robb’s lady wife. They were both foolish, but that can’t be helped now.

He remembers her as well, he recalls bickering with her upon their first meeting and aiding her upon their second. Those were memories he’d never formed back home, but they’re clear as day now. There are still things Ramsay was never able to reach or rip away from him.

He can’t stand when women cry. Jeyne Poole had wept through every step of their journey, no matter how hard Theon had tried to console her. He does his best to shrug off her tears with laughter now, but does attempts to mask his teeth with a mangled hand. He’s more aware of them than he lets on, and he doesn’t want to frighten her. ]

You weep for me? You don’t remember me, then. Not truly. But I remember you. You're Jeyne Westerling. I helped you once. Only once.

Video;

[alwayscomeback]

[Once again, Sokka realises that Westeros is, quite possibly, the worst place in the entire universe. This...isn't the Theon he remembers. Something terrible has clearly happened and there's genuine worry in his expression. He might not get on with Theon all the time, but he doesn't deserve this. ]

What- What happened to you?

Video;

[reek]

[ In his heart, Theon still believes he deserved all of it, but he also believes that there should have been some end to the pain. Ramsay was never going to offer him that. He remembers Sokka, as little as they've interacted, and he's grateful for that.

He pauses for a moment to consider the question. What didn't happen to him? He lost fingers, toes, teeth, and his identity. He laughs. It's a long list. ]

Do you really want to know?

action;

[livesfastdiesung]

[She's new to the Paisley still, having only been there a couple of days. That's why she's exploring now! If she's going to live on this ship, she wants to know what it's like. Freyja, however, was not expecting to see Theon. A small part of her considers backing out, because it seems like he might want alone time? Maybe? But a much larger part of her prompts her to say something.

The question 'are you okay?' is on the tip of her tongue, but it's not what she ultimately says. Her voice is a bit hesitant when she speaks, but also quite clearly concerned:]

I'm not interrupting anything, am I?

action;

[reek]

No.

[ He furrows his eyebrows, quietly sliding his ruined hands off of the desk. His appearance is enough to shock anyone, but he doesn’t want to frighten the new crew member. She is new, isn’t she? Theon eyes her for a moment, trying to place her. His memories of his time in the fleet have thus far been shown to be unaffected, so it’s reasonable to assume that she must have arrived sometime during his absence. ]

I don’t know you.

[ He's a bit hesitant as well, lowering his gaze to his hands. ]

If you're in need of a weapon, they'll likely need to be looked over first. I've been away for some time.

action

[stefanged]

[That broadcast couldn't mean anything good. Stefan heads down to the armory as soon as he can - because that's where Theon usually is - and well? He takes in a breath, trying to figure out what he can say. If he can even say something.

In the end, he bows his head as he approaches, stuffing his hands in his jacket pockets. He struggles to keep his gaze on Theon's face. It seems like it's too late - far too late - for Stefan's blood to have any effect on the healing process. He could've - no, he should've been back there.]

Welcome back, Greyjoy.

action

[reek]

[ From the start, Theon knows that Stefan will be on his way sooner or later. They've never gotten along terribly well, but Theon had grown to appreciate the late night company and the medical attention.

He doesn't look up as Stefan enters, but instead studies his hands with a furrowed brow. ]

It would be wrong of me to hope that you can regrow fingers, would it not?

[ A man can make due with seven fingers. Theon accepted that long ago, but they make for clumsy work. Unsafe work. He fears he may need to surrender his job in security. ]

action;

[huaaaaagh]

[To call Theon's appearance jarring would be underselling it immensely; Kirito would normally contact a returning crewmate or friend pretty quickly, but this... he needs a bit of time. That level of maiming - torture or horrible battle wounds, he can't tell - is well out of his usual circle of experience. He's sensible enough to know that he needs some time before he can visit.

It's still hard to look, when he finally ventures to the armory. He's lost a hand once, but it's different when it's digital; there's no pain, only numbness and discomfort, and the limb returns after the several-minute-long handicap. Fingers don't grow back in real life. Teeth can't be so easily fixed. Everything is so much harder.

He pauses in the doorway, making a concentrated effort to look without staring. It's not like they're friends, but... crew is crew. And he's not so bad, he's just unfriendly. Sometimes it's easy to forget that warning about him being an apparent murderer. More than anything right now, he just looks like he needs help.]

...Hey.

[There's no "welcome back", because who really knows if this is a welcome change? It surely can't be worse, but assuming that might be cruel.]

You need to eat. Can I get you some food?

Re: action;

[reek]

[ He’s aware how unsettling his new appearance is. He himself had been shocked when he caught his reflection for the first time, but there’s little he can do. He can wear his gloves and never smile and pull a hood over his hair, but that isn’t enough to hide the fact that he’s a ruined man. He’ll still have trouble eating and walking and using his hands, and all of it will be terribly obvious.

He lifts his gaze to Kirito only for a moment before dropping it once more. He’s done his best to make due. A man can live with seven fingers, but it makes tasks tenuous and difficult. Being confronted with all the weaponry he’s meant to work on serves as a grim reminder. ]

It’s not so easy for me to eat anymore.

[ It’s only half because his captor starved him for so long. His teeth make things difficult. ]

Video

[stretchy_girl]

[Having previously only seen Theon in passing it takes Gemini a moment to recognise the face she sees on the feed and put a name to said face. Well, clearly someone's had an unpleasant few months, the signs of physical and psychological torture aren't hard to spot, particularly when you're skilled at inflicting them too.

She's intrigued though, and as always not a little bored, so the thought of playing a little game with him tickles her fancy. It's always a mistake to say 'there's little you can do to harm me' around someone as psychotic and inventive as Gemini.]

You poor thing. [Her voice oozes with sympathy and she blinks crystal blue eyes at him in pretend shock.] Who did this to you? I'm a nurse, do you need any medical attention? [She leans forward in 'concern', giving him a view of cleavage that would help any intact man to quickly say yes.]

Video

[reek]

[ Theon tends to like to goad people on. Previously, it had been to defend his pride, but he has little of that left now. In a way, he’s almost hoping Atroma does do something. Death doesn’t seem to stick here, but maybe it can be arranged by the powers that be. Better death than Ramsay. Death was a mercy he never permitted.

He raises his eyes to Gemini, eyebrows knitting together. There was a time when he would have happily flirted with any woman who indulged him, but Ramsay beat him down. He doesn’t have any desire right now. He never got the opportunity to meet Gemini before he returned home, so he can’t confirm whether she is or is not a nurse, but he has little trust left to place in others. ]

I’m beyond your help.

[ Teeth can’t be regrown, he reminds himself. Nor can fingers and toes. If there’s something to be done for the pain, he trusts that Stefan has the answer. ]

Action

[stretchy_girl]

[It's about an hour afterwards when there's a knock at Theon's door and the same chipper voice from earlier calls to Theon.]

Open up it's me!

[She's manipulated her form to wear what she imagines is a nicely distracting nurse outfit, complete with a few faded bloodstains and a hundred watt smile. Bedside manner really is so important.]

Video

[tallasaking]

...So who got ahold of you?

[Because there were a few marks of cruelty he could recognize, and he had narrowed it down to at least three.] The Mountain, the Dog, or the Boltons?

[Only one of those three would have the right level of depravity to commit these kind of tortures. Outside of brigands, obviously, who would have been paid a pretty coin for such a prize. Squid or no, he was still highborn. A Prince of the Iron Islands ...]

Re: Video

[reek]

[ Tyrion Lannister, he tells himself. Sharp-tongued, quick-witted, an intelligent man, stubborn as any Ironborn.

He’s recognized every familiar face thus far, but he feels the need to constantly reassure himself that he does remember, that Ramsay couldn’t take everything from him.

He chuckles. A fine joke. The Cleganes are both large, cruel men, but a beating from either one of them might be tender in comparison. At least it would have been quicker. You can only beat a man for so long before he succumbs to a burst organ or internal bleeding. ]

The Clegane brothers are all brawn, little brain. [ He holds up his hands in an attempt to show that his own wounds were done by someone with a butcher’s skills, not a fighter. ] It was the Boltons. This is Lord Ramsay's doing.

[video]

[kingofbadlifechoices]

[When Robb sees Theon it feels as if something cold is wrapping itself around his heart. Being with Jeyne had made him feel better, it had made him forget about losing his siblings and all the misery that his death would cause. But now it is staring him right in the face.

It would be folly to ask Theon what has happened. Everything happened. Time happened.

There were many times Robb wished awful things upon Theon. Varying from greyscale to actual beheading. But this. Would he truly wish this?]

Do not tempt them in such a way. You know what they can do, Theon.

[A very serious pause...]

It will be worse than...this. [Gods, he almost misses that grin of him.]

[video]

[reek]

[Robb Stark, he begins to remind himself, but he doesn’t need to go any further. He can’t forget Robb. Even when he was Reek, he never forgot Robb. Curled up in Dreadfort dungeons with a name that wasn’t his own, the nightmares of children and kings with wolf’s heads still visited him. The guilt of what he’d done never left him, not even when he was someone else entirely.

He offers his old friend the slightest of smirks, tired and half-hearted. ]

What could be worse than this?

[ Broken. He’s broken. He’ll never truly shake Ramsay, no matter how far away he is. The damage has been done and his shadow will always be there, threatening to take another finger or carve away another piece of skin. ]

When he told me you were dead, I’d forgotten. I’d forgotten this place and everything you’d told me about Lord Bolton and Walder Frey. I thought I’d never see you again.