Through the Looking Glass: Chapter Three

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"I don't think either of us have eaten in a while." Prime Sara said, looking at Mirror Sara, who stood. "I-I can go get food..."

"you.. could cure him?" Matt looked shocked. "We.. we have two others, who need a cure, desperately. He's half shifter, it's not going to kill him, but they're not... you think you could save them?" He barely dared to hope. He knew Kay would want them prioritized as well.

"Not alone. It would take at least four of our people" Andre said then shrugged and motioned to Sawna "That is the main reason she is as tired as she is, her healing was trying to cure him and heal the injuries he sustained until she put limits to it." He said then looked to Matt again "We likely could, but this is a new thing to us. It might be simpler if it had not been in place so long."

"Can.. you look at them? I mean he's had this for almost 15 years, like more than half his life he's been infected. The girls only got bitten this afternoon, they're still incubating. If.. if you can kill the virus before it takes hold.. you'd save their lives, you'd... " He stopped himself. "sorry.. I just... I really can't stand the thought of.. we need a cure, the sooner the better." He looked around for Starr. "You need to talk to Starr when she gets back, she knows like.. everything about it. "

James looked hopeful. "Luka hates diseases, especially this one. If she could not sure from it, she'd love that."

~~
Mirror Asher looked at the technicians calculatingly. "The other version of me shot his boyfriend six times. Do you really want to put me on coffee duty?"

"Someone else is infected?" Andre asked with a frown "Take me to them and I will see if I can heal them before it takes hold of the marrow to change them"

"Yes, please." The Saras said in unison, standing up and allowing Asher to pick them up.

~~~~~~

As Starr looked through the Captain's desk, a weak cough for attention emanated from the doorway. Mirror Third stood there, smiling kindly but looking as if he were very strained.

Asher carried the borrowers over to the food storeroom, showing them the large refrigerator, and the shelves of nonperishable rations. "Does anything look good to you two?" he asked, "I can't offer any suggestions, because I've never eaten." He looked amused.

"Uhm..." The Mirror Sara looked incredibly uncertain, looking around. Prime Sara sighed, "Let's just take it slow. We'll try out the new things... NOT the rations that you always eat!" She pulled her duplicate away from the servant food and towards the fridge. "How about a fruit? Maybe a vegetable. Liven your taste a bit..."

Mirror Sara almost looked pale at the thought but nodded and began to follow.

"It's okay," Asher told mirror Sara gently. "Try a little bit, and then eat some servant food to complete the meal." He sort of made it an order, trying to help mirror Sara not freak out about this.

Mirror Sara swallowed but nodded, meekly following Prime Sara and helped her push open the fridge door, where they proceeded to expertly climb the cold shelves. Prime Sara spotted a bright red, round food, and ran over to push it out towards the door. "How about some tomato?"

"T-Tomato...?"

Asher watched curiously. It was always interesting to see how borrowers handled environments designed for people so many times their size. "If you need any help, just ask," he said to prime Sara.
He moved to keep the fridge door open. No need for it to swing shut on them.

"Okay... W-We can have some tomato." Mirror Sara nodded finally. Prime Sara looked up at Asher. "Thanks... Would you mind cutting a sliver? It'd be easier if you did it." She rolled the tomato out of its bag and across the shelf, grunting in the effort.

"Of course." Asher found a knife and a cutting board, and sliced a pretty small piece off the tomato, feeling a bit strange for how much less effort he was using than they were. "Does that look about right to you?" he asked prime Sara, holding the cutting board with the tomato on it for her inspection.

"That'll work. Thank you, Asher!" Prime Sara said cheerily, taking the piece and splitting it in two, handing one of them to Mirror Sara, who took it gingerly, staring at in, uncertain.

Starr looked to the door at the cough and smiled "Well, hello. Can I do anything to help you?" She asked, seeing how strained he seemed.

"You're welcome." Asher said cheerfully. He put away the tomato, then went to clean the knife and cutting board, trying to hide his discomfort at the feel of cold water against his skin. He wasn't used to the way it ran around his fingers at all, and it gave him a feeling he might describe as 'claustrophobic'. He wondered if hot water felt just as bizarre.

Matt grabbed Andre's arm and pretty much dragged him to Ellie.
He couldn't help it, he was hopeful.
He looked around for Luka as well.

"Do you really think you can do this on your own?" He asked in a hurried babble.

Ellie looked at Andre curiously. "Uh... Hi?" She turned to Matt, "What's up?"

Andre chuckled softly and walked with Matt then looked to Ellie "He wishes me to try to heal you with my gifts. Will you let me try?" He asked, giving a little bow to her.

"Wait, uh, heal what?" Ellie blinked. "The bite? It's totally fine and bandaged."

"No, the infection" Andre clarified and held a hand out to her

"You can do that?" Squeaked Ellie. She shook her head, "No, if you can do that, you gotta heal Luka first. She's the one who's freaking out the most."

Andre tilted his head then stood straight and looked around "Where is this Luka then?"

Matt managed to catch sight of the redhead and waved her over.

She came over looking confused. "What?"

"luka... uh.. did you tell me your name?" Matt asked Andre. "Anyway, this guy thinks he can help you with that whole infection thing, what you got to lose right?"

Luka stared at him baffled.

"My name is Andre and my people are able to heal through magic. I would like to try t cure the infection before it sets in on you" Andre said and bowed slightly to her.

Luka stared at him. "you can DO that?"

"Worth a try right?" Matt told her.

Luka nodded warily. "I don't.. like false hope but... i've got nothing to lose." She smiled worriedly to Andre. "okay, let's try it. I mean.. it's not gonna make things worse right?"

"No, it will not make anything worse." Andre agreed with a smile then held out a hand to touch her arm to try to cure the infection and heal her.