I... [A flash of panic crosses Barnaby's expression when Kotetsu confirms what he'd suspected all along, that his memories really are missing. And this man knows him well enough to seemingly know what those memories are, and just what to say to get the kind of reactions he wants out of him. Despite his confident answer seconds ago, now he feels like the situation is spiralling rapidly out of his control.
Before, when Maverick had tampered with his memories and a contradiction arose, there was an aching pressure in his skull, a flash of confusion -- clarity -- as real memories would war with illusory ones to return to the surface. But here, there's... nothing. No return of his senses, no realisation, nothing to suggest his memories were altered.
Like the hole in his soul itself, they're just gone. He takes an involuntary step back, a hand on his chest, where his damaged shard sits over his heart. Like maybe he wants to run, put some distance between himself and this man. But that wars with both his desire to understand what he lost, and most of all, his desire to remain loyal to the Regent's wishes.]
Come with me. [He says, instead, something frantic in the way he searches Kotetsu's gaze, like something might help him remember.] Come back to the Citadel, and we can talk about everything there.
[And if he doesn't come back willingly... Well. There are other ways this can end.]
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Before, when Maverick had tampered with his memories and a contradiction arose, there was an aching pressure in his skull, a flash of confusion -- clarity -- as real memories would war with illusory ones to return to the surface. But here, there's... nothing. No return of his senses, no realisation, nothing to suggest his memories were altered.
Like the hole in his soul itself, they're just gone. He takes an involuntary step back, a hand on his chest, where his damaged shard sits over his heart. Like maybe he wants to run, put some distance between himself and this man. But that wars with both his desire to understand what he lost, and most of all, his desire to remain loyal to the Regent's wishes.]
Come with me. [He says, instead, something frantic in the way he searches Kotetsu's gaze, like something might help him remember.] Come back to the Citadel, and we can talk about everything there.
[And if he doesn't come back willingly... Well. There are other ways this can end.]