"No one deserves to be corralled like a beast." Even if Dimitri had barely even qualified as that by that point. He wasn't just a feral animal but by the time Edelgard retreated and the rest of the Lions had been slain well... he may as well have been rabid.
"But yeah I've gotten a lot of that. No one seems to remember things the same." Which is frustrating as hell and makes no sense. For as carefree as he usually acts this is clearly bothering him, huffing a sigh and shoving his hand back through his hair.
So he says and yet... What good was a beast that broke out of its cage unrestrained? It was better to be put down than left to cause chaos unchecked.
"The discrepancies are concerning." He wonders who might be able to make sense of such things. Of course, the immediate thought his Byleth - who he holds in not so secretly high esteem - but they aren't here to guide him this time.
"But I've begun to wonder if it truly matters here." He was able to talk to Hubert. Now Claude. He's getting chances he wouldn't have been afforded back home according to the end he'd met in their realities.
Teach would definitely have plenty of ideas, he's pretty sure Yuri and Constance would too, but he's also not sure Byleth would be any more forthcoming with their knowledge than ever. Half a step ahead as always.
"Could be concerning, could be fascinating... It comes down to what does matter, I suppose." In this place? That could be a lot of things. The fact that he's even able to consider it fascinating says a lot about where his mind is going. Working with concepts and theories on how whatever this technology is could benefit him... or would that be them now?
Only time will tell.
"As far as things that matter go..." A slightly sheepish look, a little shrug. You can't blame him for this and you know it, Dimitri. "You're not... feeling any particularly murderous urges are you? In general but, more importantly, for me. Specifically."
Always just out of reach. That was their professor, wasn't it?
The question isn't unexpected with what he knows so far. Actually, there's a sardonic sort of tinge to his tone when he answers the query. "No, not today." He's able to joke. That's a good sign, right? It's certainly better than murderous rage.
"But it is subject to change." Is he still kidding? Is he not? It's hard to tell. While Dimitri likes to think he's a much more hinged man than he was during the battle of Gronder especially, well- He's still prone to his moments of anger. Violence.
"Hey, I'll take what I can get." It's better than he'd expected, honestly. He'd sort of worried that Dimitri would be offended by the question at all. And... well... if that was the case then He might have needed to put some distance between them straight away.
"I'm guessing things went sorta better for you. Everyone seems to recall things a little, or a lot, differently. The fact that we're talking at all is an improvement on my end." Yeah, sorry Dimitri you were uh... super not available for conversation.
No offense, no. While not proud of the man he was then, he acknowledges that he was in order to move forward. Their professor had taught him that.
"Yes, I... I remember being short with you, even so. But you left Fódlan not long after we encountered one another." Admittedly, he hoped that the man would return someday if only so that he could make amends. Perhaps he's getting the chance to now.
"Did I? Huh..." Not the first person to tell him that but so far no one seems to know where he'd gone. Excellent. Though things must've been pretty bad for him to just... peace out like that.
"Did you take care of all my little deers for me?" yeah take care of. How many of them are dead, Dimitri? Just lay it on him.
"The professor requested that you join us in our fight against The Empire, but you declined. You said that you had other things to accomplish elsewhere." And, yeah, Claude no one knows because you were cryptic as fuck about it.
To the question, his gaze goes downcast. 'Take care of.' He had hunted them, actually, with no remorse at that moment. "I believe a few survived the war." Lorenz and Hilda, however, had not been among them.
That's the point Dimitri. He's honestly not even sure what he would do if someone did know. In some ways he's just... so tired. Of juggling lies, of pretending to be something and someone he's not. There'd been so much relief when he'd finally gotten home, gotten to let down some small measure of his defenses.
Finally been addressed by his own name for the first time in so many years.
Dimitri doesn't need to say anything, just the look on his face is enough. If he was so willing to leave and Dimitri is this guilty then at the very least all of the noble Golden Deer were dead and the commoners would be taken care of by Teach and the new King if they'd survived. So what was left to tie him to Fodlan? If he left on good terms with Dimitri it would be that much easier to initiate negotiations later but if so many of the Alliance Lords had fallen? Gods he'd have to go keep his cousins from baying for blood like a pack of Aegir hounds.
"Yeah... I sort of figured as much." He can't really blame the blond, though. They'd been forced to kill so many of the Lions too...
The realities of war. While Dimitri doesn't turn away from it, not anymore, he can acknowledge that it's a terrible truth to face. The things they'd all done for the sake of what they believed to be just... At least, in Claude's case, he would have understood. Or tried to. But Edelgard? Her resolution had been too deadly and too strong, to the bitter end.
"I may not be able to change the past, but I plan to forge the future for a Fódlan united." His people had acknowledged him as the rightful king once more despite everything; he wanted to make sure not to abandon them again.
Claude is quiet for a moment, just... appraising Dimitri, this resolve he has that the man he'd seen last would not even be able to conceptualize. A Fodlan united but he was less certain about what that meant for Fodlan than he would be if it was Teach in charge... or even Edelgard. He might not agree with her methods but they had the same goals in the end.
Dimitri was more of an unknown and the pervasive toxic knightly ideals of the Kingdom made that a little concerning.
Finally he sighs, shrugs a little, expression clearly saying `what can you do?` though he doesn't actually say any of the criticisms that come to mind. Sorry Dimitri, you're too reactive and unpredictable for him to truly trust you to make the changes Fodlan needs.
"Well... you've sure got your work cut out for you."
Chivalry? Toxic? Nonsense, says the boy prince who constantly felt he was never strong or worthy enough to inherit the mantle of king without first accomplishing vengeance in the name of his late family. Who sometimes still doesn't feel worthy. Who lost himself to madness in the wake of being faced with whom he believed to be the one responsible for it all.
While they might not be of the same mind as to the way the country should develop, he is sincere in making it better. But they do oft say that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Only time would tell if his path was the correct one but... Now he feels a little adrift being stopped from taking those next steps.
"I certainly do." He can't disagree there. "But with the professor and the others behind me, I can only hope that it will be less daunting."
"Yeah, Teach'll steer you in the right direction if they need to." Claude grins as he says it, flashing the blond a wink.
It's strange to think about too much... a future he won't be around to see, a future that shouldn't even be possible. As mind boggling as it is, though, he's still wildly curious. Imagine being able to see and know what different choices might lead to.
"Not that there's a whole lot any of us can do on that front until we find our way out of this mess." Claude heaves a dramatically put upon sigh, looking skyward for a moment as though he might be able to pluck an answer from the clouds.
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Dimitri - @blaiddydblood
Date: 2021-01-13 06:55 pm (UTC)"But yeah I've gotten a lot of that. No one seems to remember things the same." Which is frustrating as hell and makes no sense. For as carefree as he usually acts this is clearly bothering him, huffing a sigh and shoving his hand back through his hair.
no subject
Date: 2021-01-14 02:46 am (UTC)"The discrepancies are concerning." He wonders who might be able to make sense of such things. Of course, the immediate thought his Byleth - who he holds in not so secretly high esteem - but they aren't here to guide him this time.
"But I've begun to wonder if it truly matters here." He was able to talk to Hubert. Now Claude. He's getting chances he wouldn't have been afforded back home according to the end he'd met in their realities.
no subject
Date: 2021-01-14 06:59 pm (UTC)"Could be concerning, could be fascinating... It comes down to what does matter, I suppose." In this place? That could be a lot of things. The fact that he's even able to consider it fascinating says a lot about where his mind is going. Working with concepts and theories on how whatever this technology is could benefit him... or would that be them now?
Only time will tell.
"As far as things that matter go..." A slightly sheepish look, a little shrug. You can't blame him for this and you know it, Dimitri. "You're not... feeling any particularly murderous urges are you? In general but, more importantly, for me. Specifically."
no subject
Date: 2021-01-15 02:59 am (UTC)The question isn't unexpected with what he knows so far. Actually, there's a sardonic sort of tinge to his tone when he answers the query. "No, not today." He's able to joke. That's a good sign, right? It's certainly better than murderous rage.
"But it is subject to change." Is he still kidding? Is he not? It's hard to tell. While Dimitri likes to think he's a much more hinged man than he was during the battle of Gronder especially, well- He's still prone to his moments of anger. Violence.
no subject
Date: 2021-01-17 03:26 pm (UTC)"I'm guessing things went sorta better for you. Everyone seems to recall things a little, or a lot, differently. The fact that we're talking at all is an improvement on my end." Yeah, sorry Dimitri you were uh... super not available for conversation.
no subject
Date: 2021-01-20 03:00 am (UTC)"Yes, I... I remember being short with you, even so. But you left Fódlan not long after we encountered one another." Admittedly, he hoped that the man would return someday if only so that he could make amends. Perhaps he's getting the chance to now.
no subject
Date: 2021-01-20 04:49 am (UTC)"Did I? Huh..." Not the first person to tell him that but so far no one seems to know where he'd gone. Excellent. Though things must've been pretty bad for him to just... peace out like that.
"Did you take care of all my little deers for me?" yeah take care of. How many of them are dead, Dimitri? Just lay it on him.
no subject
Date: 2021-01-25 01:36 am (UTC)To the question, his gaze goes downcast. 'Take care of.' He had hunted them, actually, with no remorse at that moment. "I believe a few survived the war." Lorenz and Hilda, however, had not been among them.
no subject
Date: 2021-01-26 02:08 pm (UTC)Finally been addressed by his own name for the first time in so many years.
Dimitri doesn't need to say anything, just the look on his face is enough. If he was so willing to leave and Dimitri is this guilty then at the very least all of the noble Golden Deer were dead and the commoners would be taken care of by Teach and the new King if they'd survived. So what was left to tie him to Fodlan? If he left on good terms with Dimitri it would be that much easier to initiate negotiations later but if so many of the Alliance Lords had fallen? Gods he'd have to go keep his cousins from baying for blood like a pack of Aegir hounds.
"Yeah... I sort of figured as much." He can't really blame the blond, though. They'd been forced to kill so many of the Lions too...
no subject
Date: 2021-01-27 12:43 am (UTC)"I may not be able to change the past, but I plan to forge the future for a Fódlan united." His people had acknowledged him as the rightful king once more despite everything; he wanted to make sure not to abandon them again.
no subject
Date: 2021-01-28 10:43 am (UTC)Dimitri was more of an unknown and the pervasive toxic knightly ideals of the Kingdom made that a little concerning.
Finally he sighs, shrugs a little, expression clearly saying `what can you do?` though he doesn't actually say any of the criticisms that come to mind. Sorry Dimitri, you're too reactive and unpredictable for him to truly trust you to make the changes Fodlan needs.
"Well... you've sure got your work cut out for you."
no subject
Date: 2021-01-29 08:34 pm (UTC)While they might not be of the same mind as to the way the country should develop, he is sincere in making it better. But they do oft say that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Only time would tell if his path was the correct one but... Now he feels a little adrift being stopped from taking those next steps.
"I certainly do." He can't disagree there. "But with the professor and the others behind me, I can only hope that it will be less daunting."
no subject
Date: 2021-02-01 01:42 am (UTC)It's strange to think about too much... a future he won't be around to see, a future that shouldn't even be possible. As mind boggling as it is, though, he's still wildly curious. Imagine being able to see and know what different choices might lead to.
"Not that there's a whole lot any of us can do on that front until we find our way out of this mess." Claude heaves a dramatically put upon sigh, looking skyward for a moment as though he might be able to pluck an answer from the clouds.