Voice | After the festival, before the world hop

[unrecovered]

[On one hand, Wash absolutely hates his power, and he is beyond angry with Astoria for saddling him with it. That's not going to change anytime soon.]

[On the other hand, odds are the group at large will need the use of his power at some point, and if they don't have it when they need it because he's been too busy bitching about it to learn how to use it effectively, that'll be his fault. The list of Things That Are Agent Washington's Fault is too long already; he doesn't need to add to it.]

[So here he is.]

If anyone's available, I could use some help getting a handle on my power.

Full disclosure: it's...invasive.

[And the sun is slightly warm.]

[OOC: Time to break in that permissions post!]

Comments

[lonered]

Fair enough. Okay. So...

[Something innocuous. Something minor in case he does forget it. Keith worries less about making a painful memory more vivid (he can live with pain; it's a familiar friend) than he does about losing any piece of that pain in case he forgets the lesson that came with it.

So. He considers. You know what would be okay to forget? That time Coran got a whole bunch of Olkari cubes and the moustached Altean's voice echoed around and around and around the bridge. Keith could do with forgetting that moment. ...sorry, Coran.]

Whenever you're ready.

[unrecovered]

Okay.

[Wash puts his hand back on Keith's shoulder and focuses, trying to chase away the niggling thought that he has no idea what he's doing. He tries instead to shift that focus, concentrating on pushing away, and...he has no idea if any of this is working. He can't see the memory he's working with this time around anyway - hopefully it's nothing too bad.]

[For Keith, the memory fades: colors dull, sounds deaden and become muffled, and the memory gets harder and harder to hold onto. It's not gone; it's more like he's watching it through a grimy window, one that he'll have a hard time finding again the second he looks away.]

[After a few more seconds, Wash pulls his hand away.]

Anything?

[lonered]

[Keith keeps the memory in his mind. Or, well, he tries to. At first it's clear and easy to remember it.

And then it starts to fade. It's almost startling really, how quickly it gets difficult to grasp at it, like it keeps slipping just out of his reach.]

...yeah. It's... oh that's weird.

[He looks over at Wash.] It's not gone. If I focus on it I can remember it. Sort of. But it's like I'm on the verge of forgetting it entirely. Like it's faded out.

[unrecovered]

[Holy shit it worked.]

[...kind of, at least. It's possible this is the extent of Wash's power; it's also possible that he can erase memories and just hasn't figured out how yet. Honestly, the former is more comforting; if the memory is still there, he can reverse the process if need be.]

[Maybe. He isn't sure.]

Huh. It's probably a good thing I can't get rid of it entirely.

...do you want it back?

[Not that he knows if he can even do that, but it's worth asking.]

[lonered]

[Keith actually grins at the question with a shake of his head.]

It's... a pretty dumb memory. I think I'll be okay if it's a little muted.

[He genuinely made a point in his choice after all, given that he wasn't sure if it would've been scrubbed from his mind entirely. Too many of his memories are the only thing he has left of people or places, and those are too precious to risk.]

Did you see that one too?

[unrecovered]

[Wash just shrugs. Works for him.]

You're welcome?

And no, I didn't. It doesn't sound like I missed much.

[lonered]

Nah, not really. You're good on that one.

[That said.]

Whether you're intensifying or dimming a memory, being able to take a peek at what someone is thinking or remembering could be really useful if there's ever a need for interrogation.

[unrecovered]

I know.

[He's definitely thought about it - it's a notion that hasn't left him alone since he first saw Shiro's memory of Sam. If he can get a handle on it, his power will be damned useful for intelligence gathering.]

[If he can ever get past the idea of breaking into someone's head without their permission.]

[He's not sure he can. He's not sure he wants to.]

I'm hoping it doesn't come to that.

[lonered]

[Keith ducks his head in acknowledgment.]

Yeah. That's fair.

[Honestly Keith would be a bit freaked out if the guy actually enjoyed being able to root around in people's heads.

But sometimes things were necessary.]

[unrecovered]

[On one hand, he's happy this guy doesn't want to push the subject. On the other hand, it's a hell of a way to start an awkward silence.]

[...oh wait]

I'm Wash, by the way.

[lonered]

Keith.

[Though if the guy was in his head a bit he might already know that. Oh well. He holds out a hand towards him.]

Good to meet you, Wash. Sorry you got dragged into this nonsense too.

[unrecovered]

[Wash takes Keith's hand and shakes it. That little bit of normality in the midst of magical insanity almost feels weird on its own.]

Good to meet you too. And...thanks for the help.