tushanshu | [Video] Second Animus Data Fragment - Heed These Words And You Will Be Saved

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[Video] Second Animus Data Fragment - Heed These Words And You Will Be Saved

[Some might recognize the face that appears on the screen, though it looks significantly older than normal, and much more Jesus-like.]

Not that I don't appreciate the chance to enjoy my retirement, but what the hell?

[Desmond runs a hand over his face, stopping when he runs into the beard.]

The beard's kinda cool though.

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Is a beard a good reason to welcome change?

There're definitely worse reasons. Personally, I think it makes me look distinguished. Like I actually know what the hell I'm talking about.

[His tone is half joking, half serious. There weren't many razors left after the sun cooked the earth, so he didn't have much choice, but it also gave him an air of authority that he needed to reach people.]

I know a Wizard who has a much longer beard than yours. (His tone isn't one of even mild affection.) I do not think it makes him look distinguished.

Oh, now don't be like that. [Desmond smiles.] It's not the size that counts, it's how you use it.

How does one use facial hair?

Pretty easily, actually. Carry yourself a certain way, and beard'll lend an air of maturity or wisdom. It's a perception thing.

...Desmond? You look, uh, different.

Right? I'm not sure what's going on, but I woke up like this...like I'd aged 40 years overnight. Haven't figured out who to be angry at yet, so I'm just kinda going with it.

[He sounds remarkably calm, all things considered.]

Well. Um. I mean, weird things happen on the turtle all the time. [A beat] This is a little extra weird, though. Are you... okay?

So I've heard. Guess I'm a little sheltered, since I spend most of my time at the bar, or freerunning.

[He shrugs.]

My back hurts, but otherwise I'm fine.

You also haven't been here all that long. Trust me, this won't be the last time it gets totally wacky. [She tilts her head, giving him a curious look.] So, are you just older or has anything else changed?

I can deal with wacky. It's just old I'm having a hard time coping with.

[Desmond strokes his beard thinking.]

Well, I think...I'm a different version of me, actually. Right before I was...supposed to die, I was sorta given a choice. I could either sacrifice myself then and there, and save the Earth, or I could wait it out, and let the Earth cook, after which I'd kinda become a modern Jesus, trying to lead humanity towards being more peaceful. Now...my memories are weird, because I remember choosing to save the Earth, but this version of me didn't make that choice.

Odds are you'll go back to being normal you eventually. Hopefully. [Her eyebrows go up.] Wow, your choice was you or the Earth and... [And he chose sacrificing himself.] Wow. That's seriously heavy stuff. I'm, uh, impressed. With what you you chose. Really.

Seriously, letting the Earth cook? Why was that even a thing?

[Desmond runs a hand through his beard.]

Well, see there was a little detail that I left out. Saving the Earth meant that I'd release Juno, one of the last surviving members of the First Civilization on the Earth. See...she wanted immortality, so that she could like...make people worship her, like humans did way back when, so she like..."uploaded" herself into the thing, so that if anyone tried to use it, she'd get freed. The "me" you know made that choice, figuring that his friends would figure out how to take her down. This me didn't wanna make that choice. Better to leave her locked up, and maybe get a fresh start on things.

[He pauses.]

Kind of a catch-22, you know?

Yikes. That's like the nuclear option of all catch-22s seriously, what kind of choice is that? Not a good one. At all.

Still... I'd rather go the route of fighting than letting the world burn. That totally sucks, though.

[She pauses, tilts her head, and gives Desmond a softer look.]

So, you're dead back home then. Are you doing okay?

Right? Talk about impossible choices. There's really no "winning" either way. The First Civ's nothing to sneeze at.

[He shrugs.]

I'm coping, or trying to. It's kinda nice in a way. None of the responsibility's followed me here.

Apparently. I hope your friends kick Juno's creepy First Civ butt.

That's good, I guess. If you ever want to talk about anything though - I mean, I'm not dead back home, but I'm always around. You don't have to deal with it alone, is all I'm saying.

Retirement? Why'd you want to retire?

It's less about "want" and more about "I'm suddenly 65 years old". People expect less of you when you're older, so I'm enjoying it while it lasts.

I didn't know that, is it because old people start to say "in my day" so often?

Well, that's more because old people like what's familiar, you know? What was popular and accepted for them when they were young. Problem is of course that the world's gonna change whether we want it to or not, so we're better off just learning to accept that, and just kinda...I dunno, living with it?

Eeeh, they should just learn that change is unchangeable so trying to change change is weird.

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[Video] Second Animus Data Fragment - Heed These Words And You Will Be Saved

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