Chapter Text
Machias’ head was splitting.
Thoughts flooded his brain like they were let loose from a broken faucet, sound and sight vying for supremacy over each other.
What’s… what’s going on?
Shouting. There was so much shouting, he couldn’t make out any actual words from it.
“...itz.”
The noise was unbearable, and it was like he could see only in pieces and fragments.
“...egnitz.”
Something began to break through the din.
Normally, he’d be grateful.
But Machias recognized that something immediately and wished suddenly to be back in the haze of sound once more.
“REGNITZ!”
“I hear you, Albarea!” Machias snapped, “Unfortunately, I can hear you very clearly.”
“Hmph. Hardly. I’ve been trying to get your attention for a solid minute,” Jusis replied, his tone even but bearing the slightest hint of aggravation.
Machias would count that as a win, even if he couldn’t see the bastard’s frown.
“Well, it might have been easier if you… I don’t know, poked me or something. Yelling in this racket’s not going to do much.”
“Yes, it is rather… noisy,” Jusis admitted. Frankly, if your voice was less cacophonic, that would solve many of our issues.
“I heard that!”
Jusis fell silent. “You shouldn’t have.”
“Maybe insult me to my face next time?”
“No, you—I didn’t say that.”
“Yes you did! Just now!”
A growl. “No, you absolute—” I thought you were more intelligent than this, Regnitz.
“Well, thanks for the backhanded compliment.”
“...” Jusis sighed. “Regnitz, think for a moment.”
“I am thinking!”
“No. Actually think for a moment. Any thought at all.”
Machias rolled his eyes. How’s this for a thought: your cravat looks like a bunched-up pile of tissue paper.
“...this cravat cost many Mira, Regnitz, but I don’t entirely disagree.”
Machias paused. … oh.
Yes, Regnitz, oh .
How— what— I—
In order: I don’t know, I don’t know, and I can’t quite comprehend it either.
Okay, Machias… thought, Goddess, this is strange. Do you have any idea when this started?
Just now, I presume. My memory… It's been a little fuzzy for the past few minutes.
Machias considered this. …same here, actually. The most I can remember is… someone being attacked near Etoile. Some kind of monster that slipped into the city. Since the RMP was busy dealing with an incident at the station, the Inspectorate was given permission to assist.
An affirmative noise came from… wherever Jusis was. Similarly, I heard screams in this direction while heading to Etoile myself—
Oh, the great Jusis Albarea deigns to show his face to the peasantry?
Focus. I heard screams and came running. I remember seeing you there, and…
…
…hrm. I can't recall it especially well right now.
Neither can I. We were probably drugged. He sighed, audibly grumbling out of the side of his mouth. Still, we should work on finding a way out of this place. He tried to push up, finding himself fumbling at crumbling… something-or-other with his hand. Gravel, maybe? It felt wet, whatever it was. My vision’s all screwed up. Any idea where we might be?
You’re the Heimdallite.
…the term is ‘Heimdallian’.
Are you sure?
Absolutely not, but that’s not important right now. Can you move?
Not entirely. I can feel my right side, but whatever concoction they used seems to have locked up my left side.
Machias blinked. It occurred to him that he only blinked from his left eye, vision slowly (and finally) coming back into view. I think they did something similar to me. He tilted his head, ignoring the strained sound coming from Jusis’ direction. I can only feel my…
Machias fell silent as he laid eyes (eye?) on the scene before him.
…Regnitz?
Albarea, question.
Yes?
Can you tell me what you’re seeing right now?
I can try. My vision is returning, but it doesn’t seem to be any better than… hold on.
Here we go.
Is that Valflame Palace? I can only really make out the right side, but… that doesn’t make sense. We were just in Ost.
Albarea.
Is this the work of some insurgency, perhaps?
Albarea.
What?
I see it, too.
Then you understand how unusual it is.
Albarea, I’m seeing it with my left eye.
Both paused.
They tried to look at each other.
They failed.
In unison, they slowly turned around.
Behind them was a familiar fountain.
Emphasis on was.
The ornate structure had been crushed, as if something had barreled through it with the force of a rampaging bull. Beneath them, they could see pieces of the fountain—cracked and shattered—along with a stream of running water overflowing from the point of destruction.
Within that stream, they saw something even more unusual.
A split mask. Black and green, with a silver split down the middle, and a strange fin at the brow bridging the gap between the two. Looking further down, they saw that this mask was attached to a similarly split figure, a two-tone bodysuit accented by a strangely intricate belt at their waist.
Looking back up, they stared directly into the mask’s red “eyes.”
Machias placed a hand on the left side of his face.
Jusis did the same with his right.
Both felt the chill of cold steel beneath their hands.
A moment passed.
Then another.
Slamming their hands flat onto the ground as they gawked at their unified reflection, the two spoke as one, and their words burst forth from the same mouth.
“WHAT IN AIDIOS’ NAME IS GOING ON HERE?!”
1: The Trail of
W
/The Start of an Adventure Makes for Strange Bedfellows