Chapter Text
“Laudna.”
Laudna started and looked up at the source of the hushed voice. She was finishing the middle watch, solo this time. Imogen approached, her face and hair softly lit by the stars. She said, “Want to tag out?”
“Imogen. You’re early.” Laudna straightened and stretched in her seated position, tucked a forgotten piece of mending plus Pâté and Sashimi back into her pockets. They needed their privacy, after all. One audience member they were fine with, more was a crowd.
Imogen rubbed an eye and nodded. “Couldn’t get back to sleep.”
“Oh no, dear- dreams again?”
Imogen waved a hand dismissively. “No, nothin’ serious. It’s just colder than it's been in a while. But if you want to finish out your turn first- can I join you?”
Laudna smiled and patted the log she was sitting on. “Of course.”
Imogen settled down next to her before shivering with a short intake of breath through her teeth, brows drawn in a well-worn frown. Her fingers tightened around her arms.
In a singsong voice, Laudna said, “Imogennnnn, can I get you a blanket? It’s definitely chillier than we’re used to.”
“Naw, please don’t trouble yourself. Just havin’ you near is plenty.”
“I’m not especially warm, you know.”
A low chuckle. “Hmm, a windbreak then.” Imogen leaned her head against Laudna’s shoulder and stared ahead. “You know, I was wonderin’…”
“Yes?”
“A favorite pastime, I know.”
“The best.”
“You know me, always down for a fetch quest. Yes, Ollie and Birdie wanted to try one more thing- of course it’s hard to get, and in a dense jungle where crawlers and airships can’t go. And that’s fine, bein’ away from the hustle and bustle is a good time. But…” She trailed off and gestured with her hands, struggling to find words. “So far away from everything, with all that’s loomin’ over our heads, it feels like we’re just waitin’ for the other shoe to drop. Or that we’re gonna come back and find things on fire or topsy-turvy. Isn’t there more we should be- I dunno, what do you think?”
Laudna mulled this over. Clouds overhead thickened, and so too did the shadows around them before clearing again. “Well, for your sake darling, I never object to being in the peace and quiet. But you’re right, it does feel like there’s a lot to keep track of that’s out to get us, or that we need to resolve, or double back on.”
“Right! And that feels exhaustin’. It’s like…” Distracted, Imogen stared out into the trees. She tensed, then relaxed. “I thought I heard something, but it was just some lil’ critters. A mama and some babies, I think.”
Laudna squinted out into the darkness as well. “Good eyes! Have you been eating extra veggies or something?”
Imogen tilted her head side to side. “Eh, I was cheating with my ears I think. Plus it was half-guess. I’m just glad it looks like a quiet night.”
Imogen’s stomach chose that moment to grumble. “Okay, and maybe a midnight snack wouldn’t hurt to keep it quiet.”
They fished around in a pack for rations, and Imogen munched on a few stray things. Once her mouth wasn’t too full for polite conversation, Imogen said, “Anyway. The quiet’s nice. This chill, though. I’m not enjoying it. I know I’m not a paragon of relaxation, but it’s making me extra tense.” She massaged where her neck met her shoulders with a grimace. “You know-"
Imogen abruptly stopped mid-sentence and froze, eyes ahead. Laudna followed her gaze and saw: Imogen.
Another Imogen was standing across the long-extinguished embers of their fire pit, blanket pulled across her shoulders. She too was very still.
Laudna took a breath to speak, she didn’t know what, when she heard in her head:
It’s me.
Get away from them.
An instant later, she heard aloud from the Imogen across the fire: “Get away from her. And take that off, it doesn’t suit you.”
The Imogen next to Laudna let out a breath and leaned slightly away from her, an out-of-place smile growing on her face, the guilty kind that forms without your permission when you’ve been caught. She said:
“Aw, no fair! It’s only been a few minutes. We didn’t even get to have much fun.” Low and soft voice. The guise stayed on.
The wind picked up. The air grew drier and static buzzed. Imogen held out a hand to Laudna. Laudna stood, crossed the small clearing to her friend, took the offered hand, and turned to face the impostor. Closer to Imogen, she felt waves of static ripple across her skin, and strands and locks of both of their hair began to frizz and float.
Imogen spoke again, her voice soft enough not to wake their companions, but hard and cold as stone: “That’s a real funny joke you’ve been tellin’. Only got funnier the second time. I wonder how hard I’ll laugh if you do it again.”
After a beat of silence, the Imogen sitting on the log let out a low bark of a laugh and clapped her hands together once, rocking backwards with amusement, and when she rocked forwards again, they were Yu.
They said, their voice now disconcertingly smooth and steady: “All right, all right. I’ll see myself out.” They jabbed their chin at Laudna. “Thanks for the snacks... and the company.”
With bow and a wave, mouth still curled into a smile, they left the clearing and vanished into the shadows of the thick forest around them.
Laudna realized that Imogen was clutching her hand hard, and Imogen seemed to realize about the same time. She released Laudna and let out under her breath:
“Goddammit.”