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[forensicks]

[Walter has recorded a video message from the point of view of someone who has just come through the door into his cabin and sees Walter at his desk in the chair turned around to face the viewer. He gives a little salute-wave.]

Didn't get me. But nice try.

Comments

[forensicks]

It's my friend.

[Walter says to Wu Xin. He turns on the audio feed, keeping one arm firmly wrapped around Wu Xin at all times. Because typing is so hard like this but god help him, being still on top of the water is actually even scarier than moving.]

No, I'm with Wu Xin. I'm so sorry. We're in the ocean, he's [cringing] carrying me to dry land. Which does exist! I don't think we can turn around?

[Or to be more precise, it was a challenge safetywise for Wu Xin to carry one normal person, a second one would be...]

[skybeyondsky]

[ Realizing that Walter wasn't speaking to him, Wu Xin quickly figured out the situation. After Walter's audio, Wu Xin quickly chimed in. ]

This young monk can be of service if someone needs aid.

[ He could figure it out if necessary! But was it necessary? He didn't know who was on the other side. ]

[mukha]

[Walter's communicator chimes again. This time from Pyotr's own ID.]

im fine just had to get abel away LOL

[That doesn't sound like someone who had 'an episode' at all, does it? He's normal!]

if hes bothering you tell him im safe, rescued, whatever! :)

[inthebiblicalsense]

[Abel answers the call immediately, quiet on his end before Walter's done.]

No need for an apology, your own safety is your priority, I'm glad you're safe, though I was starting to wonder about your messages...they were a little confusing.

That's good news though, I haven't made my way down...I think Mr. Valentine is organizing some efforts, I was going to help with the Jetski repair, but I can turn around for Pyotr if you aren't able to come get him? And Wu Xin, I think it would be best if you stayed on the beach once you arrived there, but if you're capable of helping people cross, I know of at least one person on board who can't swim.

[That person being Pyotr, but he's not going to mention it on the feed, there isn't any reason to unless they expected him to swim across himself.]

[forensicks]

THAT HAD BETTER BE TRUE BUDDY STOP CAN'T TYPE AND HANG ON TO HAIRLESS JESUS AT THE SAME TIME STOP INSECURE VOICE LONG SENTENCES RIGHT NOW STOP FOR SENTENCES STOP
YELENA ONLINE STOP FULL STOP

[As soon as the mention of Vincent Valentine, Walter starts frantically typing as well as trying to scroll the open posts, because of Pyotr was seriously cagey around a warden of minimal interaction, one who actually made him work when they were personally paired like Vincent is not an option. One of the open posts *is* from Vincent, and Walter recalls with trepidation that being directly included in Wu Xin's filter was not the only reason he took a chance on the fairly new and young boy. Miraculously there's something right before his, that was familiar and something he can work with.]

Oh, well, great news! I have gotten a text from yet another generously lent communicator talking about how Pyotr is on his way up to the now-top story which has the jetskis you're working so hard on, hooray! Where would we be without товарищ Yelena and her expertise in, well, everything, is there anything she can't do! Guess Wu Xin and I should really get going so he can take more trips, haha, wouldn't want to keep him too long.

[If this mollifies Abel to cut him off, then maybe Wu Xin overhearing a serious call to Pyotr isn't a big deal...]

[skybeyondsky]

[ Good thing that Wu Xin couldn't actually see anything on the communicator because Walter was behind him. He only heard what Walter read. ]

Yes, Abel, I'll continue circling the area for those in the water.

Donor Walter, hold on, this young monk is going again.

[ And off he went running across the water once more. ]

[mukha]

[He switches to audio, sounding surprisingly upbeat considering the misery Abel left him in.]

Would I lie to you? There is no need to answer that. I wouldn't want to come between you and your newly found religious sentiments! You can just hang on to your Buddha and rest assured that I am safe and will be on that island perhaps even before you, for I too have received some divine assistance.

[He sends a short text, preferring to keep who he's friends with on the down low.]

kahl

[inthebiblicalsense]

[He isn't so sure about the info he gets, but he will accept it. If Pyotr is on the island when he gets there later, that's all that matters.]

Stay safe, I'll check on the both of you when I get there myself if there is anything else I can do to help. I'll let you get back to your efforts.

[And, he's going to end the transmission there. Good luck Pyotr, he believes in you and your will to survive.]

[forensicks]

[There's a bodily sigh of relief Walter can't hide when he receives some text that is sufficiently specific. If Abel heard that, oh well.]

Who needs cruise ships with miracles like these, huh. A-men. Amibat'ha.

[Can't match the manic energy at all... He puts the phone away with neither audio feed running, silently turning to Wu Xin with genuine devotion at least in making sure he doesn't do anything that'll flip them over.]

[skybeyondsky]

[ Wu Xin, who had been keeping a close ear to Walter in case the other needed him to change direction after all, caught the poor scrambling of the Buddha's name with a soft sigh. ]

Donor Walter is going to make a horrible monk if he calls out the wrong name for the Buddha.

[ Thankfully, unless Walter tried to perform some horribly clumsy acrobatics on Wu Xin's back, they would remain steady. Wu Xin wasn't a boat after all! ]

[forensicks]

Oh, no, no, I'm sorry about that, and he's just joking... With all due respect, me converting might be a thing in another lifetime if it happens at all...

[He wanted to reassure the young man after any offense and then remained quiet to leave him to his task.]

[skybeyondsky]

[ What Walter couldn't see was Wu Xin's slight smirk. The monk was clearly teasing him. ]

A good thing. Donor Walter's face wouldn't be so shapely without hair.

[ And it wasn't look before he touched upon the island and could let Walter down. That might have been faster than a ride on jet skis! Thank you for traveling Wu Xin travels. Please remember to tip the driver~ ]

[forensicks]

[Walter is thinking about this the whole time, and he's restlessly stroking his own face for a moment after the ride is over. Is the stubble too scraggly? Okay, wait, first things first. Reverent bow!!]

Thank you.

[Hmmm...]

How does this even work?

[He waves his hand at all of Wu Xin.]

[skybeyondsky]

[ Wu Xin, genuinely amused, gestured at himself as well. ]

Donor would first need to have the ambience of a monk. Grace, and a benevolent face.

[ He raised up a hand and returned a half bow slowly as if showing that off. He was completely pulling Walter's leg. ]

And the calmness of mind so even the water will not part as you step upon its surface.

[ He jumped back swiftly in a graceful leap and landed on the water's surface while still facing Walter. Wu Xin smiled at him teasingly. ]

Take care, donor Walter. This benevolent and graceful monk need to get back to his rescuing.

[forensicks]

[On a conscious level, Walter is just being nice, but he blinks, driven by a part of himself that does genuinely wonder whether Wu Xin is from a milieu where meditation alone does eventually make such things posisble.]

I'll have a long time to ponder while you're doing the good work, that's for sure. You be safe too, alright.

[mukha]

[Pyotr is on the island, sitting down. He isn't wearing his gloves, and keeps idly raking his fingers through the sand, digging little trenches. There's blood in his hair and on his jacket, but he doesn't appear to be in pain.

He looks up when he hears someone coming and scrambles to his feet when he sees that it's Walter. After swaying for a moment, he trots over to meet him half way with a grin. Did they have an argument a few days ago? Pyotr, generous soul that he is, is willing to pretend it never happened, especially as he knows he has to keep him away from Malcolm. And he and Erskine can still poison him, if they have to...]

Walter! Oh, thank goodness. Your Buddha came through, I see! I'm sorry if I gave you a fright, but see, you really needn't have worried.

[He looks Walter over, checking for cuts or any signs of pain.]

[forensicks]

Great, because I was definitely worried there, Petya!!

[Walter grabs the man's bare hand in a sort of fist-like gesture. Handshake? Tempted to shake him after how worried Walter was? Raising their firsts in triumph? Who knows, he's let go before long, which will allow Pyotr to flit around freely. There's a thick white bandage around Walter's head, blood not showing through it. And a handful of dark spots underneath his white swimshirt, where he put on the tropical print bandaids - his upper body was what got lightly scraped when he was thrown against the side of things. Pyotr can have some stick-ons from Walter's pack if he wants but it seems like his bloodiness is of either a much shallower or much deeper nature? Ahhhhh, everything is so much.]

Wu Xin is nice. I really ought to find out more about what the heck he's doing here, but nice.

[mukha]

There was no need, [he repeats definitively, pulling his hand away with a strange look.]

What do you mean 'what he's doing here'? He is a prisoner, kidnapped the same as us. Or does the Admiral strike you as a Buddhist who wouldn't dare inflict this upon one of his monks?

[He laughs and does indeed begin to flit around Walter, explaining rapidly.]

For my part, I had the misfortune of being near Abel when the chaos struck. He is not a bad fellow, I don't think, but so supercilious. I nearly lost my patience with him and had to cover with a little theatre, seem hurt and frightened—you know how wardens eat that stuff up. I thought for sure he would be impossible to get rid of after that, but I managed to convince him that I needed my friends.

[forensicks]

I know it's bullshit, [because, even the framings of the inmates as technically having crimes in their past that the wardens don't anymore seem increasingly weak] but I do think knowing more about the kid can't hurt.

[Well, forget the kid. Abel, Abel. Walter's scrapes are on the one side so a view of his back isn't that enlightening. It's in a way where standing up isn't that much worse than being down. Ice is what would help more.]

Abel was very worried about you. [Walter's relieved to have an opening on that - he's not sure whether the claim of an "episode" would infuriate Pyotr too much.] He could totally think this is a new trauma. You might want to tell him I put you through some reframing breathing exercises.

[mukha]

You mean like what Sheehan does? Yes, we can tell him I've been writing in my diary. Perhaps we can find some twigs to stick together in an interesting way and tell him that it represents my 'trauma', and I've... what is it... cried on your shoulder, talked about my feelings.

[He waves a hand dismissively and abruptly stops, pulling Walter to sit down in the sand with him, facing the sea.]

Ah, Walter, let me look at you. What happened to your head? And what are those underneath your shirt? [He isn't even identifying them as bandaids.]

[forensicks]

I got, what's the technical term exactly? Concussed against the wall. [The barge is full of terrible happenings that have to be discussed in precise language because they're so out of the norm. Walter's good at it, always analyzing true crime at a distance, but he wishes he didn't have to do it out loud.

He rolls up the sleeve obligingly.]

They're bandaids. I have some if you want. But do you need something bigger?

[mukha]

[Pyotr resists the urge to poke at the brightly colored strips plastered on Walter's arm, having never seen such a thing before in his life.]

Oh no, I'm fine. [He grins.] I'm already all taken care of, fit as a fiddle.

Do you want to lie down? I can give you my jacket as a pillow...

[He's already taking it off. This is very normal. He's just a kind, caring person who is concerned for his friend!]

[forensicks]

Oh, right. That's something something your buddy could do, isn't it?

[He doesn't immediately say Kahl's name out loud, since Pyotr had taken pains to avoid it. No one's immediately bothering them, but the beach is so open...]

Maybe a little further away from the water. Who knows what wave could come at this point.

[mukha]

Yes, he healed me... He helped me after that... other incident I told you about, too.

[Pyotr's eyes widen with fear. Not having any reason to be familiar with the phenomena of tsunamis, the fact that they usually happen as a series of two, three, or even four big waves is entirely new information.]

You think there might be another one? Then... what are we waiting for!? We ought to head for higher ground!

[forensicks]

Oh, that's good. Better than some of the alternatives, I mean...

[Infernal necromancy comes to mind. It's not something he should dwell on, though. Pyotr is out of it more mentally, Walter more physically, and neither is in the best state to avoid even a comparatively normal tide. Walter wasn't thinking in the most technical terms at the moment. Higher ground is hard to come by, and when they reach it, Walter is relieved they're not on one of the other islands that didn't have hills at all.]

So I pulled the trigger on the plan towards the end, and you pretty much called it. Ms. Quigley did not "see". I'm sorry I was such a tool. I am glad I did it now when I had the tools for the job instead of whatever was on hand during the flood, because... it's over. She told me some details that have me a little hopeful she won't immediately fold under crimes that weren't for personal gain, at least, but... yeah. That's it. The big guy no longer has leverage on me.

[After all, Misty is a warden who can leave at will, so Walter's disquiet about her deal was more meaningful than any other way she could be used against him. ...though their current circumstances on the island call that into question. Will Walter be presented with an actual choice and not just what corny outfit he wants to wear during his scenes in the Admiral's soap opera? He's seeing this from too many angles, a remnant of John's influence, and that reminds him to add something else. He was spacing out for a good moment there.]

Certain wardens have the ability to make you relive events from the victim's perspective. Including the pain when they looked unconscious. So, watch out for that if you try anything.

[You know, like on Blitzø.]