[video]

[dirtyredneck]

Who: Daryl Dixon
Broadcast: Unfiltered Fleetwide
Action: The Marsiva if anyone else is on it just yet (he's alone isn't he?)
When: Today

[The subject of this post obviously doesn't know he's being recorded. This is the Marsiva being all nice and broadcasting it's latest arrival's first steps in his new world for all the universe to see.

He's first shown wearing nothing but a frumpy, sweatsuit that's seen many, many, many better days (even with the cleaning that had happened) marked with an "A" on the front. His hair is in his face, dirty and greasy and it looks like it hadn't been washed in weeks. It hides his identity for the time being as he shuffles around the medical bay, quietly exploring his surroundings. He's rubbing at his right side, just below the shoulder, on his chest.

Every so often he reaches out to brush fingers lightly over a surface or an item as he moves out of the medical bay and into the main living quarters where he'll be for the week. Though he doesn't quite know that yet, of course. He keeps shuffling along until he reaches the bunks and lockers. He opens one to find clothing in his size.

The camera doesn't pan away as he shucks his sweatsuit - under which he's wearing nothing - and the scars littering his back are visible for all to see. A mess of parallel lines scattered across every inch of skin and interrupting the tattoo on the right half (a pair of what could be angels or could be demons, hard to tell). It's not visible for long, because he's quick to pulls on the offered briefs and undershirt. The jumpsuit comes next and it being sleeveless is a blessing to him because he prefers the sleeveless life. But in terms of viewership, it allows his nicely muscled arms to remain seen. Once more his fingers stray to his right side, just below his shoulder, on his chest. Like he expects something to be there that isn't.

He apparently has a thing against shoes because he doesn't pull any on as he turns back around, front to whatever camera was trained on him. Finally lifts his head enough for his face to be seen before he starts looking around for a communications array.

It's only when he gets to a console and brings up the menu that the video switches to a close up shot of his face. Exactly what one would expect from a ship to ship video feed.]

Alright, asshole, I'm pulling up the 'appropriate communication channels' so get your ass over here and answer me.

[The words came out as a low, annoyed grumble that didn't have much force to it. Apparently the silence of the feed up to that point had been intentional.]

Comments

video;;

[recipio]

[ He doesn't pay the broadcast much attention, but that familiar voice is what really gets him. Carl knows that grumbly voice well enough. He fumbles with his own communicator, turning the video feed on. ]

It's going to be a while. They don't really answer.

[ 'sup, Daryl. ]

video;; I am so sorry

[dirtyredneck]

[Daryl's eyes narrow ever so slightly at the video that was playing back in front of him. The image looked like Carl. Sounded like Carl. Except for the eye. So it couldn't be Carl. Some trick being played on him.

He scowled, shoulders rising toward his ears as he slouched a bit lower in the seat. The augment fed him information so he knew enough now to figure out how to trace the signal back to it's source. Might take a little while on the console he was at since it wasn't built to be a full comms array.]

Fuck off.

video;; I'm not!

[recipio]

[ Well, that's.. not at all the response he's expecting, and it's very evident. Carl frowns, his brow furrowed in confusion.

Something must have happened that he missed. Maybe the Atroma aren't right and time does go on without them. Most people seem to believe it doesn't, but there's not really a reason that Daryl would react this way toward him. He liked to think they got along pretty okay. ]

[ It takes him a moment to figure out what to say. ] So you don't want to know what's going on.

video;;

[dirtyredneck]

[He tilts his head. He had just said he wanted answers and was doing the appropriate communications channel thing. So far he was assuming it was some grand hallucination and he was on the ground somewhere, possibly being beaten to death by Negan, mind working overtime to process it all. Weird hallucination, even for him, sure, but if it wasn't that, then it meant it was real.

Either way, it was just as strange his mind would conjure up Carl with both eyes to answer his questions as it was whatever this ship and 'Atroma' person would do the same. Both were possibilities he didn't appreciate in the least.

The scowl didn't disappear, but he relaxed some, knees coming up so his feet could rest against the edge of the console. He picked at a dirty toe and muttered to himself:]

Could have picked a better face for it.

[Before speaking up.]

Fine. Spit it out already.

video

[outstandingbalance]

[Natasha keeps an eye on the broadcasts, but until Daryl says something, she doesn't pay too much attention. She knows what it's like waking up pn the Marsiva. She hadn't been in her best mood then either.

When he decides to speak up, though, she does listen and, after a moment, opts to respond.]

Don't spend answer. The people behind this? They stay behind the curtain. But if you have questions, go ahead and ask them.

[dirtyredneck]

[This was a face he didn't know. Couldn't have been pulled out of his head. A voice that was new, too. He slouched in his seat, knees drawn up so he could wrap an arm around them while he fiddled with a few switches to see if he could trace this signal, too. Figure out where it was coming from.]

Been askin'. You Atroma?

[outstandingbalance]

God, no. [Natasha snorts at the thought. Imagine that for a plot twist.] I was brought here, just like you. Just like everyone who's going to reply to you.

[dirtyredneck]

[He doesn't bother lifting his eyes as gives a dry 'uh-huh'. He's still fiddling with the buttons and the messages popping up in response.]

What can you tell me if you ain't the hot shit in charge?

Video

[girlverine]

[Laura is sitting cross-legged on the floor in the cargo hold of the Red Fish, dressed in a tanktop and sweat pants, when she turns her camera on. She had watched the injured, angry man prowling around via the cameras, and this was about the shouting she had expected. Not that she could help, but since she had lurked, she might as well answer.]

If you are hoping for someone who is in charge, we have never seen them.

Video

[dirtyredneck]

[Daryl was sitting with his knees drawn up to his chest by this point, just fiddling idly with the buttons on the console. Exploring some of the new knowledge he had for how to control what it did.

His tone remained gruff, but it wasn't particularly upset. Still just this side of annoyed.]

Uh huh. And who would you be?

Video

[girlverine]

[Well, he seemed less angry at least.]

Laura.

[If he had been hoping for more, she didn't volunteer it.]

Re: Video

[dirtyredneck]

[He's good at pretending. Sometimes.]

Wha'da'ya do 'round here?

[youdontneedapictureofme]

[Maggie recognized him but didn't recognize him. He was dirty and scarred and almost feral in his demeanor. He hadn't even been like that when they first met on her family's farm or after months of travel on the road since those days. She wished she could go to him and help him, whatever he'd been through.]

Daryl.

[Wait no. He'd asked for answers, hadn't he? Sappy reunions could wait.]

We don't really get answers from them. Not in any conventional way. They take their sweet time and even then a lot of this place is still a confusing mess.

[dirtyredneck]

[The vision of Carl was easy to yell at. He had two eyes and was an obvious mockery generated by whatever was messing with him. Be it his own head or the 'Atroma' fellow.

But this.

Maggie.

Alive.

She looked different, too, from the last time he'd seen her. That quick hair cut was undone by the visions and she wasn't nearly as sickly. But it was still her. Still another mockery. Just one he couldn't find the strength to yell at.

He could barely find the strength not to start sobbing.

Daryl sucked in a shaky breath and pressed his lips together. Dropped his head so he didn't have to look at her. Let his hand feel around the console until he found the right button.

Cut the connection so the screen went blank.

He couldn't stop her from reconnecting. Probably. But he expected even if he could, his mind would still force her to come hovering over his shoulder somehow. He deserved her judgement. Her disappointment. Her hate.]

[youdontneedapictureofme]

[Well, then. She wasn't sure what to do besides keep pressing him, but she knew even that wasn't always going to work if Daryl clammed up he clammed up and that was usually all there was to it. They were alike, sometimes, in that regard.

Taking a breath, she tries again. He'll see the video of her again, her long hair pulled up and her appearance clean and healthier than when they'd been on the road since Terminus.]

Daryl. Why are you avoidin' me? Did something happen?

[She knew enough, from others' experiences throughout the fleet, that time was not always set in place. She wanted to assume it was about Beth, but this was beyond that by the sounds of it. Sure they had been heartbroken about Beth and he'd even blamed himself as much as she blamed herself, and yet she never blamed him. He was her family just as much as the others.]

Just... just talk to me. Are you hurt? You're okay now. We're here.

[She speaks softly, as if she was coaxing a wild animal. Daryl was very much a wild animal when he wanted to be.]

[dirtyredneck]

[She came back almost immediately. Of course she did. And she was questioning him. Like she didn't know what had happened. And it almost sounded real. Like she hadn't witnessed her husband beaten to death because of his mistake. Because he'd lashed out, expecting Negan to take his anger out on him, only for him to go after someone else.

His fault. It was his fault Glenn was gone and she knew it. How could she not? How could she just sit there looking all worried, like he mattered at all to her after what he'd done? Just one big sick joke and he couldn't even get mad at her over it.

Daryl wrapped his arms around his knees and didn't touch any of the buttons. He let the vision of her remain on screen. But he also didn't say anything. Just kept his head down and waited. Eventually she'd start taunting him. That's how his hallucinations with Merle had always gone. It would hurt, but it was better to let it run it's course.

He deserved it anyway.]

Video;

[onlyanapple]

You didn't even say over. That's just terrible communications etiquette.



Over.

Video;

[dirtyredneck]

I don't give a rat's ass.

[And as sarcastically as possible:]

Over.

Video;

[onlyanapple]

Now that's hardly a positive attitude at all. You'll never get what you need that way.

[The trolling is strong. ]

Over.

video

[passingthrough]

[She's had a down week or so with people she cares about deeply—loved—suddenly spiraling far away from their imprisonment here. Maybe it's a good thing for them, but it's not her favorite. But when she catches sight of Darryl, well... He looks like she feels. It pulls her out of her own reflection or self pity or whatever you'd call it.]

Hey. [Gentle, but not soft.]

The assholes you want don't answer. Not for anything. [Not calls made to them. Not for the crimes they commit.] At least not yet. I'm Kitty.

video

[dirtyredneck]

[He stared hard at the screen, quiet for a long moment before answering in a hard tone.]

You answered.

video

[passingthrough]

[She almost smiles. There's a slight twitch of the lips.] Did you just call me an asshole?

Even so, I'm assuming you want the ones who brought you here and that's not me.

video.

[throwsdown]

[Oh, he's not in a good mood. Takeshi is gonna do the poor guy a favor and not mention that he'd known him before — he won't forget the kindness Daryl had offered him years ago, back on the Tranquility, when he showed him how to rip his sleeves to get cooler when the ship was overheating.

That isn't this Daryl, though. Or he doesn't remember. Takeshi knows how this place works.

So — he doesn't mind re-meeting him and becoming friends all over again. It's with that, that he smiles patiently over the line; he's not gonna bring up the nakedness or the scars. He kinda is used to seeing naked people after the Tranquility and back home, with everyone suiting up to battle. He's also used to scars, but he — doesn't really expect that many on him. He himself mostly just has some on his shoulder, from a gunshot — Maggie patched him up — and a few here and there that only really show in the sun.]

Um...! Um — hi! Hi, I'm Takeshi.

I'm not an asshole. I don't think. I try not to be, promise.

video.

[dirtyredneck]

[The hell was this? He knew for a fact he'd never seen a kid who looked like that after the world ended. He knew the face of every kid that'd ever crossed his path and none of them looked like this one. Why the hell did his head have to go makin' a new one up? One that was...

Shit.

Daryl pressed his lips together and stared at the screen for a bit, looking something akin to a wild-eyed animal not sure what to do with itself. Took him a moment or two before he could gulp down some air and nod his head.]

Hi.

video.

[throwsdown]

[Ah, man, something bad must've happened for him to be this freaked out.

Or maybe he's just freaked out by where he is; Takeshi can't blame him for that.]

Are you okay? The Marsiva brings people in healed and safe, but it's still pretty scary.