a brand new stray

[worn_wings]

Who: Daryl Dixon + open
Broadcast: Not intentionally but maybe you'll get lucky channel surfing sometime?
Action: The Tourist, assorted planets thereafter
When: 5/5 and onward

1. tourist arrival

He doesn't get his bearings at all. Everything when he wakes up is shining and unfamiliar and the only comforting thing is it's definitely not the Sanctuary, as surely as it's not any of their familiar settlements. He gets his back up against the wall, and then he's somewhere else.

The burst of confetti and music just suffices to confuse the hell out of him, so he ignores the chocolate pudding and ducks back against the wall, dead silent and kind of panicked and doing his best not to show it.

Left to his own devices, eventually he'll slink off into the rest of the ship-- looking for anything he can use as a weapon and watching for threats.


2. planetside in the yadrolla system

It's been literally years since he saw a functioning city, and the first time he touches down on one of the more populous planets, it's totally overwhelming.

The upshot of this is he'll be a little friendlier to Fleeters, because at least if someone's vaguely familiar they're closer to being a known, safe quantity. Mostly he stays to the side-streets, watching like it's all new.

Eventually he manages to get a lift to one of the wilder worlds-- not because he wants to sight-see, though incidentally he might end up spectating some of the outdoor events-- but because it's better than being stuck on the ship. Feels too much like a trap-- nowhere to run.

Later in the month he'll take up fishing and hunting-- there may be food on the ship but he's not sure how far he trusts it. Besides, he's good at this, there's some comfort in grounding yourself.


3. choose your own adventure

[ want something different? We'll make it work! ]

Comments

2;;

[postocular]

[ It's always exciting to land on a new planet; being cooped up on the ships for weeks at a time still make him antsy to stretch his legs and have real ground underfoot. The first few days are typically spent getting the lay of the land, but this system is a little intense, Carl almost doesn't know where to start. He opts first to start with the city, seeing what's available. As he's wandering the streets, something makes him stop, and he looks around.

It's unexpected, and his expression certainly shows it. Uncertainty turns rapidly to excitement as he hurries toward the lurking figure on the side-street. ]

When did you get here?? [ Hey Daryl, what's up? ]

[worn_wings]

[ It took about two minutes of being on a spaceship for Daryl to decide he didn't much like it, and it only took that long because of the shock of the whole situation. Bringing himself to trust the transportation became a lot easier when he had the sure prospect of solid ground and open sky to lure him.

Friendly faces are an unanticipated bonus to the whole business. He tenses when he hears Carl's voice, but as soon as he spots him breaks into a run to help close the distance. ]

Holy shit, you all right?

[postocular]

[ Carl can't help but meet him half way, and Daryl even gets a quick hug, because damn, he missed the guy. ]

Yeah, m'okay. Are you??

[ The last time he'd seen Daryl, he'd definitely been not okay. It was understandable, though.. Carl just worries about him. ]

[worn_wings]

Yeah. Yeah.

[ In the broader sense, no, he's not even a little bit okay, but relatively speaking: he's not hurt, he's reasonably well provided for, for now. Possibly he's dreaming or crazy, but that's not something easy to fix.

Most importantly-- and the reason he's okay in spite of everything-- he's not actually alone here. So when Carl comes in, Daryl hugs back, if only for the reassurance that the kid's solid and real and actually here. ]

The hell's going on?

[postocular]

Do you want the long version or the short version? Because the long version is going to take some time, so we may as well find something to eat if that's the one you want to hear.

[ It's his subtle, not-so-subtle way of taking care of Daryl. There's not much he can do for him since he's Daryl, but he can at least do something. Maybe get him a crossbow on one of the planets, or something.. He's delighted that he's here. More people are coming from their world and it's a bittersweet sort of feeling. ]

[worn_wings]

Heard some of it, [ he mutters, a little darkly. The problem is trying to reconcile any of it-- space ships and reality shows-- with, well, reality. Or possibility, more accurately. This all seems real enough and he hasn't woken up yet-- but he can't get over it.

Granted, it's not the first time something totally impossible has overtaken reality, but a guy's got limits. ]

You think it's some kinda trick?

[ He doesn't, not really, but he's got to ask. Who'd have the means to do something like this? Alien abduction is the likelier answer. What the hell. ]

[postocular]

Well, if it is, keeping people here for over two years is kind of a long con?

I think this is something that's happening that we can't really control. [ It was bizarre at first, he admits, but there's no way this many people collectively made this up, right? ]

3. an adventure in FEELINGS

[perservering]

[ When she saw his name on the report, she couldn't quite believe it. Like maybe her mind was playing tricks on her. A cruel sort of hallucination, the one person she wanted to see more than anybody arriving like an answer to an unspoken prayer.

She can't leave immediately. She has her own new shipmate to tend to. But once he's settled enough that she's satisfied he's not going to pose an immediate threat, she leaves for the Tourist. Of course, once she arrives there, Daryl proves elusive. None of his new shipmates seem to know where he went. The thought of paging him, or just sending him a text to let him know she's looking for him doesn't occur to her. Instead, she sets about searching the ship. Her heart pounds in her chest, a whole host of unnamed fears plaguing her, some more reasonable than others.

What if he's not happy to see her? ]

[worn_wings]

[ If he'd had the presence of mind to do some digging-- to look at the network, to read the rosters, to really pay attention to all this bullshit about reality shows-- maybe he'd have seen her and Maggie and Carl and been the one to reach out. But it's all too much, and he didn't think there was any chance there'd be anyone to look for.

He's still not sure if he's dreaming, or what.

In the brief time he's been here he's gotten some of the gist of the story, but didn't much open up, didn't want to tell anyone about himself, didn't want anything but to find a way out.

When she finds him, she'll find him in an alcove near the security room-- which is a whole other kind of bullshit, he doesn't know how the hell he found it. It's like something told him--

He's not thinking about it, he's just sitting. Listening. Hearing footsteps, which puts him back on edge. ]

Who's there?

[ He hasn't got time for games. These people gotta learn that. ]

[perservering]

[ Carol goes still when she hears his voice. She knows he can be intimidating, she's seen him menace others. But it's been a while since he was so hostile toward her.

It's not toward her. He doesn't realize it is her, she reasons with herself. She holds her hands up anyway, just in case. ]

Hey. Been lookin' for ya. You ok?

[worn_wings]

[ On his own he can't help but be on guard-- which means, yeah, he's greeting everything with the most vicious side he can muster. Truth is it's terrifying, how impossible all this is, but he's not going to let that slip; the vulnerability is too dangerous. Better just to seem angry.

But it dissolves when he hears her voice, disarming him-- literally, too, because he sets down the weird space handgun he's found, though not until he sees her. It's a powerful relief, enough that it doesn't actually relax him, just leaves him wired in a totally different way. It's not just him. Wherever they are, he's not here alone.

(It's better and worse at once.)

But he's glad to see her. Glad enough, and shaken enough, that he totally forgets how strained things ought to be and closes the space between them, reaching to grab her arm, needing to know she's really there. At this point, maybe he's just gone crazy. ]

They got you too? You all right?

[ It doesn't exactly answer the question, except that if he's more worried about how she is than how he is, he can't be that bad off. ]

[perservering]

[ She has to swallow a lump in her throat when he emerges and her fears are proven to be completely unfounded. Unsatisfied with the grip on her arm, she pulls him in for a hug and doesn't let go until she's sure she won't instantly burst into tears when she tries to talk. ]

Yeah, they did. I'm fine. It's weird but I'm not hurt or anything. Carl and Maggie are here, too. I came over as soon as I saw your name.

[ She swallows and shakes her head. ]

It's nice to have hot showers but I just want to go home.

[worn_wings]

[ It's impossible not to think of their last meeting-- which he'd thought, when they parted, would probably be their last, if she really was dead set on leaving. But his focus is on how goddamn relieved he is that she's here and all right-- that some of them are all right-- he doesn't stop to think, yet, about the lie he had to tell, about how that's going to fall apart if Maggie's here.

It's comforting, and for just a second he lets himself have that, hanging on to her until she shifts to pull away. ]

Came over from where?

1

[candothat]

[The announcement that the Tourist has gained another passenger is an exciting one; they haven't had many arrivals in the year-plus that Chekov has been aboard. He hopes it'll someone friendly. Unfriendly shipmates could make the long drifts between systems awkward.

He doesn't immediately find anyone with the pudding and confetti. Possibly not so friendly then.]

Hello?

[worn_wings]

[ Daryl hasn't gotten far when Chekov comes looking. Which is for the best-- he's still mostly shocked and hasn't gotten too defensive. Or at least, hasn't found anything to defend himself with.

Sorry, Chekov, Daryl is probably not going to be the morale officer you need. ]

Where the hell did you take me?

[ So this is going well. ]

So, uh... I lost this tag and I am very sorry.

[candothat]

[Chekov has never been accused of abducting anyone before.]

I promise that I'm here as accidentally as you are. ...Here in this universe, I mean. I'm here on this specific ship intentionally.

[This really hasn't started off well.]

Welcome to the Tourist?

[worn_wings]

[ Right now Daryl is in the mood to accuse anyone he can. He sure as hell didn't get here on his own. ]

How?

[ this is not a very specific question. Really, it's an amalgamation of a lot of questions. And it sounds a little more like a demand than a question. ]

[candothat]

How what?

[An honest question! There are a lot of potential hows here and he doesn't want to try this man's patience by going for all of them at once.]

I will answer to the best of my ability.

[worn_wings]

[ There are a lot-- an awful lot-- of questions. Truthfully, Chekov could just pick his favorite and start and it wouldn't make much difference, Daryl would be equally suspicious.

His jaw is clenched, tense, as he tries to keep his temper in check. For now. ]

Where the hell are we and how'd I get here?

2;

[youdontneedapictureofme]

[Maggie had taken her time, actually stopping to pick up a few things - some toys for Takeshi when he came back from wherever he'd gone, some clothes and other supplies. They had stocked up quite a bit on the last planet, but she wasn't going to waste a chance to use some credits as she got them. It was nice just to be able to get off the ship for an hour or two and take her mind off worries and work.

Maggie would have gone right on through her day doing that, never noticing Daryl had she not been looking for him too. She checked the rosters almost religiously since she arrived. If she could come back that meant Enid and Rick and Daryl could too. She'd gotten her wish, seeing one Daryl Dixon listed on the Tourist. She couldn't remember what ship he had been on last time. It was up in the air if he would even remember.

That's how she finds him, staying off to the side, unseen and unnoticed as he often would do. He hadn't been comfortable at first in Alexandria and he hadn't truly felt comfortable at the Hilltop at first with her after... well, everything. She never blamed him, of course. She still didn't blame him. Glenn wouldn't have either. She wonders if this time he's managed to forgive himself.]

Hey. You're here.

[She tucks a hair behind her ear, adjusting her bag on her other arm. Her hair was starting to grow out again, no longer the short bob that Enid had cut for her. Tentatively she approaches him, wanting to reach out and touch his arm, as if that could make it real. Daryl was here and she was here. She knows Glenn would be thankful for that.]

[worn_wings]

[ There's a world of difference between being told that Maggie's here and all right, and seeing it for himself. Hearing it made him feel a little better, even if there's still too much guilt that rises when he thinks about her and Glenn; actually hearing her voice, though, it's the same kind of dizzying relief as when Carol found him, when Carl did.

It hasn't even been so long since he's seen her, after all-- but it's different. Has to be, since they all arrived separately-- since it's been years, according to Carl, which Daryl still can't wrap his head around. ]

Maggie...

[ She doesn't just have to settle for touching his arm, he's going to pull her into a hug as long as she lets him. She's all right, he's so goddamn glad she's all right. ]

[youdontneedapictureofme]

[As soon as Daryl pulls her forward, Maggie drops her bag at their feet and throws her arms around him as earnestly as he's hugging her. This was good. It was just so good to see him, to know that he was here and he was okay. She feels almost dazed with the relief it brings.]

It's okay.

[She doesn't know if she's telling him or herself that. Either way her eyes burn and she tries her best not to start crying.]

Daryl, it's okay now.

[She wasn't even sure what he knew back home but she wanted to reassure him anyway, would do so over and over again if she had to.]

[worn_wings]

[ Probably he's never actually going to get over feeling guilty; what happened, it was him, he's the one who lashed out, he's the one who made it so someone else had to die. Maybe someone else would've if he didn't-- but it doesn't matter, it was him.

But Maggie's family, still, and he's not going to put more of his grief on her shoulders if he can help it. He's gonna do his damnedest to protect her, for as long as he can. It's the least of what he owes Glenn. ]

Yeah.

[ To anyone who didn't know him as well as she does, maybe that would sound steady. He catches his breath after, though, manages to get himself more in control as he gives her shoulders a good squeeze. ]

You all right?

[ He wants to hear it, more than anything, that she's okay. ]

[youdontneedapictureofme]

[Just seeing him, knowing that they both were hurting over this, was like a knife to the gut. He'd been with her through Beth, had carried guilt for that too when he'd been the one to carry her out of the hospital. Maggie had thought that had been the worst pain she had ever felt in her life until Glenn. She still wanted to get revenge for what Negan had done. They needed to put it right - for her and Daryl and Glenn.]

I'm- I'm fine.

[She nods, still trying to keep herself pressed against him in a hug so that he won't see that she's definitely going to start crying any minute now. Hearing his voice so unsteady had done her in a bit. She felt like she couldn't speak, couldn't breathe, without it feeling constricting and the act of it done with great effort.]

I'm okay.

[She'd told Enid that they needed to keep going, to be the ones who remembered the ones they'd lost. She needed to be strong, even if right now she didn't want to be.]

I'm glad you're here.

[She takes a gulp of air, finally letting him go and moving to rub at her eyes. It was all still too raw, too much. She hadn't let Carl see her like this and felt bad that she was even letting Daryl see it.]

[worn_wings]

[ He's not far from tears himself; taking an extra moment to hang on and let her hang on, maybe they both need it. She's already seen him crumble, he figures, he doesn't want her to have to watch that again.

When she finally shifts away he still stays close, not sure he can handle the idea of letting her out of arm's reach just yet. ]

Still can't believe it,

[ he murmurs ruefully, not quite able to muster a smile, but definitely closer to calm already. It's good to see her here like this-- healthy and strong and safe, or at least safe enough, even if it's strange to see her so comfortable in the midst of... well, all of this. ]