"But this is the only thing that's made the last three years bearable."
Firstly, I altered the quote just a tiny bit… I know that kinda defeats the purpose of quotes but such is life, baha. Forgive me in advance for the cheesy Beauty and the Beast inspiration. Hope you enjoy!
“Do you know what the most powerful motivator is, Champion?”
In the cramped space of his cold prison cell, Shiro said nothing. Instead, he closed his eyes, letting his head fall back against the wall as he sat up in his cot. On the other side of the door stood Choleer, an avid gambler who had deep connections within the Galra empire, peering through the small, barred window. It was unsurprising to see him roaming freely around the holding cells; somewhere, a guard’s pockets were filled with bribe money.
“Not going to answer?” Choleer prodded. “Alright, I’ll answer for you. It’s hope, Champion. Hope! And you’ve proven that time and time again. Your match today was quite the spectacle to behold, and it earned me a great deal of money, so I thank you. Come, come, claim your prize.”
Shiro glared at the alien, his eyes shifting to the item he had clamped between his claws as he raised it into view. It was a mirror – an ordinary, handheld mirror, modest in design without any features that suggested there was anything special about it. In truth, it held more power over Shiro than one could ever imagine, and Choleer brandished it before him – taunting him.
“Oh, don’t give me that look,” the alien said with false dejection. “Wouldn’t you like to see him again?”
The ongoing arrangement he had with Choleer was far from dignified, and Shiro could feel the shame twisting sharply in his gut. Still, the alien was right – he had something that would continue to weave hope through Shiro’s heart, something that kept him from throwing his life away in the arena each and every time. He clenched his fists as he climbed out of bed, limping toward the cell door – his ankle had been injured during his last fight, and walking on it cause hot pains to shoot through his leg. He gripped one of the metal bars to brace himself, his eyes glued to the mirror.
“Now, say the magic words, Champion.”
Shiro swallowed hard past the lump in his throat, ignoring the smug grin on the aliens face. He could only manage a tight whisper when he spoke, “Show me Keith.”
The surface of the mirror began to glow a bright purple, his reflection disappearing and replaced with what looked like swirling black smoke. A quiet hum sounded from the mirror, and when the smoke cleared, he could see Keith standing in the middle of his desert shack – it was like watching him through a television screen. Shiro could feel his eyes burning with hot tears as he tightened his grip around the metal bar. Every time he was able to see Keith like this, he didn’t think his heart could break anymore – and each time, it did.
Keith stood facing the wall where dozens of photos, graphs and notes were pinned to a corkboard, red thread connecting different events. “I know you’re out there,” Keith whispered as he plucked a polaroid photo from the wall. It was of him and Shiro on the day of the Kerberos launch. Tears were visible in their eyes, but they were smiling. “I’ll find you. I… I don’t know how yet, but I will. I promise.”
“Damn it,” Shiro breathed, squeezing his eyes shut as he pressed his forehead against bars; they felt like ice against his skin. “Damn it…”
“That boy sure is persistent,” Choleer commented as he slipped the mirror inside the pocket of his coat. “But hey, win your next match, and maybe we’ll see what exactly he’s planning, eh? And, uh, don’t forget to keep this under wraps, Champion. I don’t need that witch comin’ after me for this. She’d kill for this kinda magic tech. See ya around.”
When Choleer’s footsteps faded into silence, Shiro collapsed to his knees, slamming the side of his fists against the cell door, shouting in anguish. He was already being used by the empire, and now, he was letting himself be used by Choleer. They were having him kill and slaughter for money and entertainment, and each life he took made him want to take his own. But seeing Keith, even through some tiny mirror across the universe, and knowing he was still holding out hope that Shiro would return home – it was the only thing that made the last three years bearable. It kept him alive.
And so Shiro would continue to fight, continue to kill, because he would return home one day. Whether or not he’d be able to live with himself then…
