Video - [Two Paladins for the Price of One]

[lonered]

[The video opens to Keith’s face -- for those who know him, there are certainly obvious changes. He looks older, and a noticeable scar streaks across one cheek. His lips press into a line as he fiddles with his watch, and the video widens out to show that he’s in one of the rooms in the hostel, and that he is not alone.

Shiro is beside him and he too looks different. An unfamiliar arm more like the androids of the city’s own limbs replaces his old prosthetic. From the way his fabric of his white shirt rests on his shoulder more of his flesh and blood body is missing. He glances at Keith, white eyebrows furrowing. In fact, all of his hair is white.

Keith glances to Shiro for a wordless moment before he looks back to the video feed.]

We have a question.

[May as well jump straight to it. Keith continues,]

A few nights ago, something happened. To me, and to Shiro. We went to sleep and woke up… different, from a dream that definitely wasn’t just a dream.

[A quick glance to Shiro, as if waiting for him to add,]

We woke up looking different and we slept a lot longer than usual according to the alarms on my watch. Memories started to drift into my mind once I was awake. It felt..very surreal until I saw how different I looked. Then I knew it wasn’t a dream. The memories continued to come to me throughout the day.

[He casts a glance at Keith, waiting for him to chime in and make their point.]

In one night we went through… years. This has to have something to do with the Witch and how she grabbed us all from our worlds to begin with.

[Keith pauses for a moment, trying to keep his tone measured. He’s better at it than he used to be, even if he’s really agitated over the whole thing.]

Has this happened to anyone else? Did the Witch… did Astoria say anything about it, if it did?

[Shiro sets his hand on Keith’s shoulder, lightly squeezing it.]

If this has happened to others...that will confirm this might be tied to her.

Comments

[lonered]

You can believe what you want about her. I don't know what she's trying yet. And either way, I'd rather get the word out among the others that this is something that can happen. If you think it's complaining, that's fine. But if this is something that could happen to other people, they should know. Because it might not be easy to recover from. And if it happens at the wrong time, it could get someone hurt. It's jarring... and painful...

[Keith shakes his head. He's not going to get into the fact that a whole bunch of memories of serious trauma just got slammed into his brain in the course of a night, and coping with it has been difficult.

So because he's been told he should breathe, he takes a breath.]

Look. Like you said. We don't have the know-how. It's still just a game of what-ifs right now which isn't helping anyone.

I just wanted to know if anyone knew anything about it, and make sure people had some warning that it's a possibility. Because we didn't.

[bowtiedbones]

That was a bad turn of phrase. Sorry, I don't really think you're complaining— I was thinking on how this would be presented to her.

I do appreciate you warning everyone.

[Suddenly and significantly more muted. What-if's are how she works at things, but it wasn't called for here, and she has at least the awareness to back off now.]

[lonered]

It's fine.

[And even Keith can admit,] I'm a little on edge about this. I guess I'm still getting my head right.

[And he just plain doesn't trust Astoria, so his assumptions go straight in the opposite direction. But Shiro is right. It will help hearing things different from his own preconceptions when they do get a chance to talk to Astoria.]

[bowtiedbones]

Yeah... At least there's not much going on this world. You guys can rest up as you need.

[lonered]

I really hope that stays true.

[For everyone's sake really.]

Thanks, by the way. For the input. It's another angle to think about.

[bowtiedbones]

No problem. For better or worse, turning things around a bunch of times is what I do.