[center][url=https://fontmeme.com/fallout-new-vegas-font/][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/230112/f7d774d3ec20946c1b1c06b083a1b2cd.png[/img][/url][/center]

Zell scraped up the remains of food on the plate into a neat pile, scooped it up and and shoved the fork in his mouth, then let the cutlery clatter on the dish, leaning back in a little stretch as he munched away.  "En-gee-ell, the food around here is pretty good," he said, muffled by a full mouth.  "Add one more reason to keep the invaders out," he added, managing to grin while chewing.  Thankfully, he swallowed before continuing with his terrible table manners.  "Well, I mean, if Saladin's army can prove they can out-do Valhiem's best chefs, I might be persuaded to turncoat."

It was a good job there were no civilians in earshot.  This wasn't exactly peak comedy. Topical, sure.  Appropriate?  About as far as fucking possible from the word.

Quite used to finishing his meals before everyone else, Zell was content to wait patiently for James to finish, but the silence was broken by his friend.

[abbr=Hey, do you remember the Blessing James used against Zigmund?]"Hey, do you remember the Blessing James used against Zigmund?"[/abbr] 

"?" Zell hesitated for a moment.  This was the first time he'd ever heard James refer to himself in the third person.  "How could I forget, mate.  I'm not sure we could've gotten in close enough for the killshot, had you not rattled Tin Head's brain so badly that he couldn't think straight."

[abbr=I never got to explain it did I? Not properly I mean]"I never got to explain it did I? Not properly I mean"[/abbr]

Zell thought back to the moments after the fight.  Everyone was hurt to varying degrees, but it hadn't stopped Zell noticing that something wasn't right with James.  "Been wondering about that," Zell replied, interlocking his fingers behind his head.  At least he didn't have to pry now.

[abbr=It does not transfer memories, not really, instead it... it makes both entities understand each other, when James used it on Zigmund he didn't get his memories, instead he saw everything, his past, his ambitions, his regrets, his hopes, and he Understood. When the blessing ran its course, I found that I was as much James as I was Zigmund]"It does not transfer memories, not really, instead it... it makes both entities [i]understand[/i] each other, when James used it on Zigmund he didn't get his memories, instead he saw everything, his past, his ambitions, his regrets, his hopes, and he [i]Understood[/i]. When the blessing ran its course, I found that I was as much James as I was Zigmund"[/abbr] This was clearly tough for James to admit, and for obvious reasons.  It was fucking PSYCHO CRAZY! [abbr=Those first hours were rough I admit, I did not- could not accept who I was when they still didn't reach a consensus but that is no longer a problem, it is in the past now and I was able to move on, I am James, I am Zigmund, and I am me]"Those first hours were rough I admit, I did not- [i]could not[/i] accept who I was when they still didn't reach a consensus but that is no longer a problem, it is in the past now and I was able to move on, I am James, I am Zigmund, and I am me"[/abbr]

[i]What in the actual fuck![/i] Zell thought, frozen in his relaxed pose (while literally ANYTHING but fucking relaxed.)  He didn't even blink.  This was insanity.  James had merged with Zigmund, in mind.

Was it permanent? Would this bring any danger to the crew?  Was he strong enough to bare this?

Three questions.  All of which, he'd asked of himself - verbatim - very recently.

They were both fucked in a very similar way.  Different in details, maybe different substantively, but so similar it was like destiny was playing a sick joke on the pair.

[abbr=I am saying this to you because you have earned my trust and I hope you can trust in me the same way]"I am saying this to you because you have earned my trust and I hope you can trust in me the same way"[/abbr]

"Damn straight, bruv," he quickly batted back.

[abbr=So please Zell, talk to me]"So please Zell, talk to me"[/abbr]

Zell looked around, as he took his hands off his head and leaned in.  "I'm in some frighteningly similar shit, mate.  Seriously, it's mad you've just said this to me." He subconciously peeked at James' forehead, wondering how the hell Zigmund was in James' skull.  "But what do you mean, you've made peace with this?  How?" He shook his head.  "Wait, hold that thought.  Blimey I have a tonne of questions, we need to seriously have a catch up and get on the same page with ALL of this, cuz every detail is important.  But... right... me..."

And Zell proceeded to give a summation of his own situation.  He did not completely weigh his best friend down in info, right off the bat, but not out of mistrust.  He just wanted to first level the playing field. He told James about Baphomet allowing him to unwittingly 'volunteer' a transfer of the curse to himself.  He explained that he'd not had even so much as a single peaceful [i]nap[/i] since that drunken night on the town when it all began; cutting that statue in half.  He explained that he was absolutely terrified that Barracker was going to get all 'Holy Fucking Crusader' on him and give Zell the same treatment that Zell had given Zigmund.

With that basic outline covered, Zell stood up.  "Let's take a walk to somewhere a little less crowded, bro.  We've got a lot of things to hash out."

...

They ended up at the canalside, sat down on the grass in a big enough area that no one would be able to get close enough to overhear them without them noticing first.

"I imagine you've got quite a bit of information that might be able to help me out, here."  Zell gave a little head-tilt.  "From being a Cleric maybe, aswell as being... Zigmund-  Bro, are you totally sure you've 'Made Peace' with this arrangement in your noggin, right now?  Do you know if you'll have to live with this for the rest of your life, or what?"  A small part of him suddenly wondered if James was dealing with any resentment due to Zigmund getting killed by Second Chance.  "If you're sure, then I trust you, of course - say no more.  But we should probably create contingency plans for eachother, just in case anything goes wrong."