Mirror, Mirror

[DragonSong]

"Calling for me?" Kiara's frown deepened. "Then how come I can't hear him?"

She couldn't hear her Kit either--though she supposed he might still be asleep.

No sooner had the thought crossed her mind when this Kit snorted and shook his head, some of the dazed look bleeding from his eyes.

"Wait," the dragon mumbled. "I...hear something too..."


Kit snorted and blinked, concentrating hard. "Grav," he rumbled slowly. "I think...I think I'm getting...it's not Kia, it's--it's like me." He huffed and shook his head, struggling to focus. It was so difficult to stay awake, it felt like his mind and body knew he should be sleeping. "Don't try reaching for her, try...reaching next to her."

[MadEmperor]

Grav blinked. "Next to her? Like for myself?" He shrugged and gave it try.

Dan? Can you hear me?


Dan's eyes widened in surprise at how clear the voice was. "Now I know I'm hearing him. Try talking to yourself like you talk to Kit."

Yes! I do!

[DragonSong]

"Like I talk to--?" Kiara frowned, trying to focus, to find that connection, but...

She growled in frustration and shook her head. "I can't feel anything."

"Maybe...because you're in the wrong place?" Kit suggested. "You and she can...physically switch. Maybe that means you can't connect...mentally?"

Kiara sighed, scrubbing a hand down her face. "Well. That makes just as much sense as anything else about this situation, so it's probably right," she grumbled.

Kit snorted quietly. "I can...hear mine, too. The other me." He looked between not-his-Kiara and Dan. "Should we...tell them something? Make sure this works?"

[MadEmperor]

"Like what? Say hello to our Kiara for us?" Dan asked.

Having no better ideas, he thought loudly, Grav? If you hear me, tell everyone that the human Kiara is unharmed.


Grav chuckled. "The ridiculously formal version of me says the human Kiara is fine. Good to know."

[DragonSong]

The fae Kiara huffed quietly despite herself. "He is ridiculous about that, huh? You'd think roughing it would have bled some of that out of him."

She resumed pacing. "I still can't connect to her—but you two don't seem to have an issue?"

Kit nodded agreement. This Kiara can't contact her other self. Any luck with ours?


"It seems she can't contact you, either," Kit noted to the human Kiara.

She nodded. "But you two can." A breath. "I mean—that's definitely something. And we're all still awake."

Although that seemed to be taking a toll on this Kit, from the way his tail and wings were drooping. Maybe it was only something they could do for a limited time?

[MadEmperor]

Dan yawned. "Well, for now anyway. I am starting to feel whatever is tugging on Ser Kit's eyelids."

Are you feeling sleepy?


A bit. Maybe it's time to switch back?

"But we can't switch places. And you don't seem to be fighting off sleep like Dan and the other Kit."

[DragonSong]

Fae-Kiara shook her head. "No, I'm not. I feel...fine, actually. Normal. Well, whatever passes for normal for me these days."

Kit huffed and ducked his head to nose her shoulder lightly. She may not have been his Kiara, but she was still Kiara. She smiled slightly and reached up to pat his cheek over her shoulder. "You're definitely holding on by a thread here, Kitten," she chuckled. "Probably time to call it."


"Yeah, no offense but you both look like you could use a break," human-Kiara noted as she looked between Dan and Kit. "I guess that means...I should try to switch us back, right? We'll be no use if the two--or, four--of you can barely keep your eyes open."

[MadEmperor]

Dan nodded in tired agreement, his usual puppyish energy rapidly depleting. "Yes. I believe we have learned all we can from this first attempt."


"Okay, Dan's telling me that this experiment is taking a toll on him and the other Kit too. So get ready to be switched back," Grav reported.

[DragonSong]

"Get ready?" Kiara huffed. "And how am I supposed to do that--?"

She suddenly gasped and staggered, doubling over. Kit rumbled in concern, ducking his head to catch at her shoulder--but before he could she straightened up again. That faint glow was gone from her skin, and when she shook her head to orient herself the tossing back of her curls revealed rounded, human ears.

"Woof." She blinked rapidly. "Okay. Apparently doing that too many times too close together is...rough. I'm seeing stars."

She wavered, and Kit caught at the back of her shirt with his teeth to keep her upright.

[MadEmperor]

Grav stepped close and placed a hand on her shoulder. Smiling tiredly, he said, "I'm glad you're okay."

"She's so much like you without being you that it hurts to be around her. Know what I mean?"

[DragonSong]

"Yeah." She smiled tiredly back, though she didn't feel the same supernatural exhaustion that seemed to affect the rest of them when they were all awake. "Yeah, I know what you mean."

She leaned into his hand for a moment, then let her head come to rest on his shoulder. "C'mon. We should...actually rest while we can."

[MadEmperor]

"Good idea," he yawned, giving her a peck on the cheek before walking over to Kit.

He smirked at the dragon. "Okay, big guy. I could really use a nice, warm dragon right about now."

[DragonSong]

Kit yawned so wide his jaw cracked--which on a dragon was loud--and nodded groggily. "C'mere, scaleless," he mumbled, settling himself back down and lifting a wing in invitation to his companions.

Kiara chuckled and tucked herself into the curve of his belly before reaching up to drag Grav down next to her and pulling his arm around her waist.

"Well. Guess you two will have to give me an update in the morning," she half-laughed, half-mumbled. "Seems my dreams are just dreams again..."

[MadEmperor]

"I've had scales. I gotta tell ya, they're massively overrated," Grav managed to quip before Kiara dragged him down.

He smiled and kissed her before snuggling in. "Lucky you."

Then he was out like a snuffed torch.


Dan suddenly and dramatically rallied. "Whoah... Grav must be asleep, because I feel wide awake."

[DragonSong]

Kit snorted and shook his head, eyes abruptly much brighter. "Yeah. Me too."

Kiara looked between the two of them, still adjusting slightly to the abrupt switch in realities. She didn't think she was ever gonna get used to that. "Well, that's...good? Right? I mean, at least we know it doesn't have lingering effects."

[MadEmperor]

"Considering the fact that Ser Kit could not be awoken at all the first time, perhaps it will only get easier," Dan theorized, rubbing his chin.

He looked her over like a concerned puppy, but without the invasion of personal space. "How about you? Are you feeling the same as before? No strange feelings?"

[DragonSong]

"I'm..." Kiara rubbed one thumb into the opposite palm, brow slightly furrowed and lips pursed. "Tingly," she sighed after a moment. "Like...pins and needles in my hands and feet. But otherwise fine."

She shrugged, casting a quick look in Dan's direction before summoning up a semblance of her usual deflection-smirk. "That's probably more to do with being in our Mortal Realm than it is the switching, I'd bet. "

[MadEmperor]

"How much longer do you think you can hold out in the Mortal Realm, anyway?" he asked curiously as he checked the supplies.

He frowned. "Assuming you would even know such a thing."

[DragonSong]

She huffed and shrugged while Kit rumbled, clearly not happy to be thinking about that.

"I guess it depends?" She flexed her fingers in and out carefully. "The more I use Fae magic, the harder it will be to hold my place in this world. At least, I think that's how Da explained it."

[MadEmperor]

Dan gave an acknowledging nod. "So, the less our plan requires, the better. Got it."

With everything packed neatly, the three were off.


Over the next few days, the twin sets of adventurers practiced coordinating with each other. Slowly, they grew accustomed enough with the switch to use it for a few precious minutes without sacrificing any ability to remain alert.

Team Grav spent another couple of days gathering information in town while the Kits hunted down their respective hidden exits, which turned out to be the same. When everyone was as prepared as they could afford, the festivities began.


Twilight darkened the forest as Grav studied the well-hidden trapdoor nestled in a crevice in the ground, disguised by both the undergrowth and the carpet of leaves tossed over it.

"Kudos to dragon senses for finding this. We silly humans could only find this by tripping over it."