The afternoon breezed by, and by dinnertime, both Alex and Kary were ready to log back in. They ate a quick dinner and headed to the room, ready to step into the pods.
"I hope whatever it is you made a deal out of, you don't alienate any of them," Kary said, before lying down in her pod.
"Have a little faith. Everything is going to be fine," he responded, imitating her.
As both of them closed their pods, the display inside humming to life, they commanded together.
"Log in."
Multi-coloured lights flashed past their vision as their bodies sank into weightlessness. Closing their eyes, to limit the strobing effect consciousness transfer, they waited for gravity to re-assert itself.
Once it did, they opened their eyes again, looking up at the baldaquin bedposts of their room in the palace of Bastion City.
Turning his head toward Phoenix, Astaroth smiled.
"Alright, see you later."