Third Animus Data Fragment - I've seen enough for one life

[shirley_templar]

[Desmond looks....tired. His face is unshaven and sallow, and his eyes are red. He shakes his head, trying to clear the cobwebs. When he speaks, it's not in English, but an older Italian dialect.]

<<Ugh...did anyone get the number of the goddamn train that hit me? It'll be another month before I'll shake this nightmare.>>

[Desmond looks surprised, as though he wasn't expecting what came out of his mouth. He shakes his head again.]

<<What the hell? Am I speaking Italian?>>

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[shirley_templar]

<< God knows I could use the fresh air. Being shut up like this for as long as I've been's made things a little....musty. >>

[When Pepper arrives, Desmond pulls himself up off of his chair with a grunt, still feeling the old man aches that Ezio left him with, and shuffles to the door. What Pepper will see when he opens the door is a broken chair, the bed completely torn apart, as though Desmond had had a violent seizure as he awoke, and a few bloody knuckle-prints here and there, with Desmond's own hands crudely bandaged with what looked like torn bedsheets. On his desk lay the Apple of Eden out in the open, and Desmond's Hidden Blades. It pretty much looks like a hurricane hit Desmond's room.]

<< Just give me a second, I've had the door locked since I woke up. >>

[There's a series of rattling clicks as Desmond unlocks his door, before opening it. Yeah, Desmond's a mess. Unshaven and disheveled, his eyes puffy and bloodshot. It doesn't look like he's slept at all, despite the fact that he was comatose for a month. Either he doesn't notice the armor, or is so used to the weirdness that he just plain doesn't respond. He's also trying to ignore hallucinations of Sofia and Flavia waving at him, so there's that.]

<< Hi, Pepper. I...I've looked better, haven't I? I feel like I got hit by a truck. I've died in the Animus before, but the worst that'd happen is desynchronization, where I'd get kicked out or have to go back to an earlier memory. This was...something else. Like...I couldn't get away from it. >>

[lasergrenades]

[Pepper can't help but gape a little at Desmond's condition, and it's as much out of surprise as worry. The room is a mess, and so is it's occupant. She takes a few seconds to just absorb the scene, and tries not to think very hard about experiencing death without actually dying.]

Yeah, you-- you've looked better. It's sounds like you went through something pretty awful, though, so it's not like that's your fault. [Her armor's computer chimes a quiet update on Desmond's status, as far as it's sensors can tell. She offers a small smile and steps carefully into his room.] We can deal with the disaster zone later; are you up for walking? I can carry you in this thing if you need. Maybe you should eat something first.

[It was impossible to know what condition Desmond's brain was in, but the armor might actually be able to help with that. Desmond really did need to get to a healer, though.]

[shirley_templar]

[Desmond can't help but chuckle. Here he was, being essentially rescued from himself, all because whatever magical forces on the turtle decided to knock him out for a month. He's hoping that, having had the experience he has, that he'll be spared another coma.]

<< At least I got another major life lesson out of Ezio. Toward the end, he realized that he'd taken a lot of the things he had in life for granted. He'd been so focused on his life as an Assassin for so long, that he didn't get to really live until he was an old man. >>

[Desmond pulls on his hoodie, grunting with the effort. Physically he's fine, but his brain's convinced that his body is old and crippled. A look at his brain would show that his memory center and cognitive processing are spiking, though Desmond's trying his damndest to play it cool.]

<< Food sounds good, though, and I can walk myself. I'm just...more worried I might hurt someone, if my head gets the better of me. Ezio was a fighter even as an old man. >>

[lasergrenades]

[The armor seems to have a good grasp of the older Italian dialect by now, so Pepper can understand Desmond almost perfectly. Despite his assurances that he can walk on his own, Pepper is still worried. He looks a wreck.]

Well, being an Assassin never sounded like a job; it sounded like a lifestyle. Not the kind of thing you clocked out of at the end of the day. [Which does beg some questions about the psychological impacts of the order, but Pepper isn't here to discuss philosphy.] Why don't we go downstairs to the kitchen? I'm sure they'll have something. And I can keep you from hurting anyone, if you start going berserk on me. Don't do that, by the way, [she admonishes, teasing.] You're not Ezio. Then we'll go to the Healer's Guild.

[shirley_templar]

[Desmond manages a weak smile. He's still struggling to separate himself from Ezio, but thinking about him in reference to his own experiences helps.] << You don't know the half of it. Ezio...he didn't really have any say in the matter. His father and brothers were killed in a conspiracy, and he became an Assassin to avenge them and bring their killers to justice. Me? I ran away as a kid, but ended up getting drawn back in when I realized what was at stake, with the Templars and everything. >>]

[And he laughs.]

<< I'll try not to, but like...I was sitting with Sofia and Flavia Auditore...Ezio's wife and daughter, in there. >>]

[Desmond catches his reflection in the mirror, and he squares up on it, speaking in halting, heavily-accented english.]

My...name is...Desmond Miles. I'm...an Assassin.

[Desmond clutches his head, as though the simple act of speaking in his mother tongue was hard work, but then he smiles. Small victories.]

<< That hurt like hell, but was worth it. Let's get some food, yeah? >>

[lasergrenades]

Hey, English! Progress. Definitely time for food, [she agrees. Pepper steps back and out of the doorway to the hall, but makes sure to stay within a few feet of Desmond.]

[Returning to the subject of Ezio] You can hallucinate your great-grea-great-many-greats grandmothers, just don't start flipping tables. [She pauses, her mouth thinning.] His skills might be useful, but it's not fair that you have to carry so many other people's pain. You've-- you've got enough burdens on your own.

[shirley_templar]

<< I figured it was worth the effort. Can't shake off Ezio without trying to remember that I'm me, right? I've gotta wonder if Clay went through any of this at the end? Poor bastard spent more time in the Animus than I did, and his connection to Ezio wasn't nearly as strong as mine is. >>

[Desmond turns and walks out of his room, closing the door on the disaster he made, and the cloud of memories that had been hanging over his head inside it, and starts slowly hobbling his way toward the kitchen.]

<< I'm only worried if I start seeing any of the Borgias. Ezio had a pretty bitter relationship with the Pope and his kids, since it was Rodrigo who actually organized the conspiracy against his family. [He pauses.] If not me, Abstergo would've just kidnapped someone else, put them through the same crap I went through. I mean...yeah I can't say I'm fond of having to deal with this, but...and I hate to even say this, but it was kind of...fate, in a way. Juno and the others...they knew that it was gonna be me. They left messages hundreds of goddamn years ago, knowing that I'd see them. I don't think my feelings, or my sanity for that matter made it into the equation. >>

[Desmond knew it as well as anyone, he knew what he had to sacrifice, to do what needed to be done. He just didn't figure he was going to have to live with it for as long as he's had to, after he put his hand on the Eye.]

[lasergrenades]

[Pepper pauses in the hallway and puts an armored hand on Desmond's elbow.] This isn't the end. You're not going anywhere, okay?

[She knows that's probably not what he means, but she feels the need to say it anyway. After a moment, she lets go and continues down the hall towards the stairs.]

Fate or not, you have a right to complain about it and be angry and whatever. You've given a lot for this cause, and that's brave of you. If you do see any Borgias, just-- let me know. That's what I'm here for, to help you tell the difference between reality and hallucination. I still think we can find a way to help undo some of the damage. Raine can probably come up with a few ideas.

[shirley_templar]

<< I know. I was...prepared to die before I ended up here. I knew it was a possibility, anyway. It's been...weird, trying to figure out what to do with myself now. It's not exactly like I have a ton of regular job skills, you know? >>

[He cracks a smile. It was true, he was struggling trying to...basically learn how to live, now that he had more time. Getting the dose he had of the end of Ezio's life had put a lot of that into perspective.]

<< I sure hope so. I mean...even if we'd had the time, finding a cure for the Bleeding Effect was pretty low on our list of priorities. I really don't wanna go crazy here. >>

[lasergrenades]

Seems like you've been making a decent bartender, minus the whole coma thing, [Pepper remarks.] Your skills work well for the police, too, so you're not totally out of places to go. Keeliai is good for giving second chances. Sometimes third or fourth ones, too.

[The cafeteria is mostly empty when they get there, which will mean less weird looks for the armor and the Italian. She pulls off the helmet and puts it on the table next to her, leaving the speakers on so she can still get translations. Pepper also steps out of the body of the armor and leaves it by the table.]

No one wants you to go crazy. We'll find a way. Maybe not fix it totally, but there's enough brilliant people on this turtle to make a dent in the problem. Want me to grab you something or are you okay?