Knight and Refugee can do whatever they want with that spider beast, I'm staying right here with Valwen, Shepherd and Astronaut. It seems neither Shepherd nor Knight know what Astronaut, or rather, an astronaut, truly is. Which is… kinda weird, but then again, enormous spiders are not supposed to exist… And eldritch abominations are supposed to stay in the cthulhu mythos.
I take a good look around now that I'm not running around in a frantic panic. As I finally, truly realize where I am, I also realize I should discard my notions of what is and isn't possible. I'm not that phased by my surroundings, my world was eaten by things beyond time and space. Been there, done that.
The hesitation I had before in speaking to people is gone now. I've survived the end of the world, I don't care about the little nonsense anymore; At least for now.
It's why I don't mind asking the Astronaut "Why are you still wearing your helmet?"
"Ah. I… I'd rather not take it off." The voice is distorted through the speakers on her suit; The voice comes out all tinny, I have no clue whether I'm speaking to a man or a woman, or perhaps another gender.
"Well, it's not my place to ask you to become uncomfortable because I want to see your face." I shrug, turning to ask a question of Shepherd when he speaks up himself.
"How are we supposed to trust you if you don't even want to show your face?" The distrust is noticeable in his voice.
I am slightly taken aback by this. "What would they be hiding?"
The Shepherd looks at me with a frown on his face. "For all we know, there could be a blob of black goo inside that armor." Now it's my turn to frown, as I suppose that's technically possible.
"I'm sorry, I…" They think for a moment before continuing "It's maybe a bit silly, but I think uhm. I think I might just die the moment I open my helmet." There's a bit of a tremor to their voice, although I'm not sure if that's the speaker or them.
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"Why's that?" I check to see if Valwen is still breathing and then return to looking at Astronaut.
"Because I don't have the same gravity as you do." Ah, so that's why they seem so floaty.
"I'm afraid the same will go for the air, that I'm in space, that perhaps this is all a hallucination…"
The Shepherd's looks confused, which makes me only more curious. "Do you know what an Astronaut is, Shepherd?"
"A kind of knight, right?" He shrugs.
"An Astronaut is a spacefarer, someone who uses a combustion propelled ship to fly into space. The suit protects them from the coldness, heat and lack of air in space" It seems I rocked Shepherd's world as he goes through a variety of emotions before looking at Astronaut with awe and wonder.
"Have you been among the stars?" His voice is a near whisper.
"I have, it is beautiful up there. There is so much more to see than from down here." There is joy in the Astronaut's voice as they reminisce.
"Sol bless." Shepherd looks at Astronaut with a new-found admiration, but remains silent otherwise.
"I take it your world was not being devoured by an otherworldly abomination?" I casually ask, already knowing the answer somewhat.
"I- what?"
"Nope"
I can't help but sigh. "I think we're not from the same world."
I point towards where the spider, who is now sitting calm after flailing around for a while, although it's now facing away from us.
"That creature doesn't, or didn't, occur in my world normally. Nor do we have knights. And although we have astronauts, they don't have the white suit you wear."
They are both silent for a moment, contemplating this new information before the Shepherd speaks up. "This changes nothing."
"It does not"
We all turn in surprise as we hear Valwen speak up.
The old woman sits up as she continues speaking.
"It matters not where we come from. Well, only insofar that it will be more work to return everyone. If there is such a thing as returning."
She dusts herself off, not that she is actually dirty, and looks around. She smiles.
"What an interesting place."