A present from James helps Keith revisit the past
Keith threw the disc on the floor as James's letter instructed, and him and the other paladins watched in awe as it glowed.
Suddenly, a bright blue star map sprung up, like the one in the Castle of Lions. They glowed blue and white, some twinkling and other flickering in and out of existence. There were even some stars outside of the Milky Way on it.
"Whoa." Keith says breathlessly.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" A voice says, breaking the silence. Keith's eyes widen when he sees it. It's a 3D hologram of a younger James. He's standing to Keith's left, hands in his pockets. He chuckled. "I can practically see the look on your face. You're also probably wondering what this is. Well Keith, these are stars. Those things we stare a in the sky."
Keith rolls his eyes, and the hologram smiles.
"I know, I'm terrible. No, but this is for you. You always say how you wish the Garrison didn't have all those lights, cause then we could see the stars better. You gave Adam so much shit for that. 'Why teach us about stars if we can't see them? How am I supposed to tell you where the constellation is relevant to my position if I can't see it?'"
Keith and the hologram laugh. "So, I made you this. I hope you like it. It took me almost 16 months. I put all the constellations and stars that are visible from both your house and the cliff here. I even made the ones we made up real, at least here." James points to a group of stars, which shine and connect themselves, making middle finger. "the holy bird. from when ares flipped zeus off, remember? and the dragon, Thunderstorm Darkness." James pointed to another group of stars, which glowed red, connecting to make a dragon body with large wings. "I don't know why you chose that name of all things, but I guess it fits."
Keith turned to the hologram. "Why?" James put his hand back in his pocket. "Now, you're probably wondering why I did this. Well, not only because you like the stars, but since Kerberos, you've been really down. I wanted to remind you that good things still happen in the world. Now, touch the blue star right in front of you."
Keith went for one, but the hologram chuckled. "Not that one, the other one. You see it?" Keith nodded. "Tap it gently. Then, just watch." Keith raised an eyebrow. "Don't give me that look. Just do it."
Keith tapped the star, and a screen jumped up.
It showed him and James, but they were younger. About the same age as the hologram. Keith sat on his red hoverbike. "Do I really have to do this?" James asked in the image, walking up behind Keith. "It's a free day, and you said you wanted to spend it with me. This is what we're going to do." James sighed and climbed on the bike behind Keith, wrapping his arms around his waist. "Fine. Let's go." They shot off past the Garrison, and James hooked his chin over Keith's shoulder, leaning into him.
They saw a familiar cliff come into view, and James's grip on Keith tightened as they sped up. They went flying off the edge, smiles on their faces.
As they fell, the two laughed, grins wide on their faces.
They drove around for a while before coming to a stop at a different cliff, where they watched the sunset. James sat on the edge of the cliff besides Keith, legs hanging. "This was fun." James says. "Maybe we can do it again. That is, if you're not afraid." Keith jokes. "Me? Scared? Never." James replies, grin on his face. "Sure thing Jamie." Keith teases. James rolls his eyes and stands, extending a hand to Keith. "Come on. We can go over the cliff again. I know you want to." Keith looked at his hand, hesitating. "Come on Firecracker, don't tell me you're burnt out already." Keith smirked and took his hand, letting James pull him up. "Not yet. Come on. Try not to break my ribs this time." "It's not my fault you drive like a crazy man." James says as he climbs on the bike behind Keith. "Maybe you should learn how to drive a hoverbike if you dislike my driving that much." "Maybe I like riding with you. Crazy driving and all." James admits, wrapping his arms around Keith.
Keith taps another star, and a different image appears. They're in a cafeteria, Keith and James, and James is grinning wickedly as some mashed potatoes slide down Keith's cheek. "You did not just-" "Oh yes I did." Keith grins and throws a bread roll at him, but he misses, hitting someone else instead. That person tries to throw something at him, but it hits a girl instead, and she chucks her drink at her laughing friend. Soon the whole cafeteria is having a food fight, Keith and James a giggling mess in the middle of it all.
They all laugh at the scene. "That was fun. Mark and Erin got in trouble for starting it though." The hologram says. "Look Keith, I know- I know you're probably mad at me. Or at anyone and everyone affiliated with the Garrison. I mean, leaving without saying goodbye is a pretty obvious sign." James grinned. "And because of that, I'm gonna be a brat, as you so fondly call me, and make things difficult. This star map memory thing can have stars added to it, and memories, along with pictures and videos. In the box, there's a pair of earbuds. All you need to do is put those in and enter the code, and the program does the rest. It'll add the stars and planets, and give them the memories it deems best. But only I have the code." Keith shakes his head at the hologram. "If you want it, you're gonna have to come visit me. Cheesy, right?" The hologram asks. "Of course." Keith replies. "But you know me. Everything is a little bit dramatic. Stay safe out there in that dessert shack of yours, and don't forget that you have me and Adam. We still care about you." It says, beginning to step away. "And remember, you still owe me that date. Maybe we can go for a hoverbike ride." The hologram winks and turns, before fizzling out.
Another one starts up almost immediately after. "Hey Keith." An older James says. He still stands to Keith's left, hands shoved in his pocket. He looks so much more tired than he did in the last one, and he has a sad look in his eyes. "The Garrison says you're dead. Along with Hunk, the cargo pilot and the new kid. But I don't believe that. You're way to stubborn and smart to die." The hologram sighs. "Look, you- you don't have to talk to me. Or even acknowledge my existence. But please, please, leave a sign. Something to tell me that you're alive still. I- I can't lose you. You're too important to me." It brings a hand to it's throat, pulling out a necklace. There's a small gem on it, and Keith's eyes widen with recognition.
"I- I know you promised that you'd come back to me, that you wouldn't forget me, that you wouldn't leave me, but now, I'm perfectly fine if you break all of those. Just please, please, let me, or anyone, know you're alive." It pleads. "I can't lose you too."
It grabs the gem in it's hand. "If this- if /I/ ever meant anything to you, please, please, say something. Anything. Just something so that I know you're alive still, and that I'm not just fooling myself. You- you're the most important person in the world to me Keith. And I think sometimes you forget that." It sighed, tucking the necklace back into it's shirt. "But since with my track record, I'll probably never see you again, the code to the device is that day's date. You know which one. It's the day that changed everything between us. I- I miss you. Please be safe. Please come back to me." The hologram pleads before disappearing.
"Did you mean it?" Keith asked. "Mean what?" James asks back. "What you said. In the hologram." James freezes, a look of shock spreading across his features. "I-" James looks at him, and then back away. "Yeah. Yeah, I did. I mean every word. Did- did you know the day?" Keith nods. "Of course. But you- you know it can't happen, right? It can't ever be us." "Why?" "It's too dangerous." Keith answers.
"Is it too dangerous or are you just scared?"