Chapter Text
The usually well-lit room was in almost complete darkness. Only the strange, pale and bald feline’s eyes seemed to radiate some sort of energy, illuminating the space. Arthur felt a strange sense of déjà vu. He squinted, the familiar voice echoed through his brain, making him flinch. Despite the innumerable time this has happened, he swore he would never get used to it.
“Come, upstairs.”
The voice echoed. It is unlike her to act so mysteriously. Arthur feels like he had been in this room before, but he knows he hadn’t. Had the Drifter altered his memory through the time loops? It is extremely possible, but how are there traces remaining? Perhaps that’s an answer only the void itself could provide.
Kalymos guided him to the mirror on the top floor. Years of military experience made Arthur especially sensitive to any presence. He can sense the drifter somewhere, yet not physically, intangible. The hair on the back of his neck stood up. The mirror was covered with a knackered piece of cloth. As soon as he stepped up to it, the mirror lit up with void infused energy. It was a windless night, yet the cloth flew up as if drafts were trying to blow it away. Blue lights and particles shot out and danced in front of Arthur’s eyes. What did she want him to see so badly?
Arthur hesitated. This all felt extremely odd. Something deep down told him he shouldn’t. Just as he tried to stand back, the strange force from so long ago seizes his right hand. He yelped in surprise.
“Enough with your games, Marty! What are you doing?”
The force doesn’t relent, yet it is gentle. With persistence without pain, it dragged Arthur to the mirror, and revealed the hidden surface. This wasn’t a mirror, not now. It’s a one-sided portal, one only a void touched demon could cross through. Arthur could see through, yet the hand guided him to caress the ice-cold surface. He can’t pass through. That is her specialty, after all.
The drifter sat in a cozy love seat in the orbiter, the kid staring blankly behind. The little robot – Ordis, he believes the name was? Anxiously stared. The Drifter stood up, her hood, a memento from Duviri, fully obscuredher face. What on the soon-to-be, yet never to be destroyed Earth was she doing?
“Arthur” she cooed. He gets it now. She tried to bury her emotions in that paper grave, now she was doing it again. “Marty, what’s the meaning of this? You left the feelings in Duviri again?”
The Drifter lowered her face, Arthur thought he could sense a desperation behind the closed mask.
“Touch the mirror.” She commanded. Arthur raised an eyebrow at her, the dim blue light from the void obscuring half his face in the darkness. Something is very, very wrong. Arthur didn’t move. The Drifter sighed in defeat. “Don’t make me force you. We’ve done this before.” Arthur snorted. “And how did that end?”
“Well, let’s see…you stab me in the hand, but I still managed to take you to Entrati.” The Drifter recounted; an air of amusing reminisces surrounded her.
“Still holding onto that?” Arthur chortled. ‘Never’ was the short retort he was met with.
Arthur took a deep breath. He suddenly remembered something. “Where the hell is Quincy?” Silence fell. “Where IS Quincy, Marty?” He persisted, this time with more authority.
“You know your commands and threats never worked on me, Maj. I told him to take a stroll, I had some quick business in the Origins system. He’s still in the shooting range. Don’t worry, I froze the time.”
“Do you freeze time a lot? When I’m out there?” Arthur was visibly disturbed.
“Well,” The Drifter shrugged, “not really. Besides, you wouldn’t know.”
A coldness crept up Arthur’s spine. What did she mean?
“Touch the mirror, I beg of you” The drifter finally said. She is now directly in front, her hand held out across the smooth surface, causing a small ripple. Arthur wondered now if he touched it he could be teleported to the future, though he knows it doesn’t work that way.
Something tells him there is no time for hesitation. He looks up at the time: 11:45 pm, almost midnight. Arthur reached out and touched the silhouette of the Drifter’s hand. Suddenly, he understood everything.